Evaluating potential adverse health impacts caused by pesticides is an important parameter in human toxicity. This study focuses on the importance of subchronic toxicity assessment of
cymoxanil fungicide in rats with special reference to target biochemical
enzymes and histopathological changes in different tissues. In this regard, a 21-day toxicity study with repeated
cymoxanil oral doses was conducted. It has been shown that low doses (0.5 mg/kg) were less effective than medium (1 mg/kg) and high (2 mg/kg) doses. Moreover, high dose dose-treated rats showed piecemeal
necrosis in the liver,
interstitial nephritis and tubular degeneration in the kidneys,
interstitial pneumonia and type II pneumocyte
hyperplasia in the lungs,
gliosis, spongiosis, and malacia in the brain, and testicular
edema and degeneration in the testes.
Cymoxanil significantly increased AST, ALT, and ALP in serum and liver, indicating tissue
necrosis and possible leakage of these
enzymes into the bloodstream.
Creatinine levels increased, indicating renal damage. Similarly, significant inhibition was recorded in brain
acetylcholinesterase, indicating that both synaptic transmission and nerve conduction were affected. Importantly, these histopathological and biochemical alterations were dose-dependent. Taken together, our study reported interesting biochemical and histopathological alterations in different rat tissues following repeated toxicity with oral doses of
cymoxanil. Our study suggests future studies on different pesticides at different concentrations that would help urge governments to create more restrictive regulations concerning these compounds' levels.