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World Health Organization emphasized the necessity of evaluating toxic hazard
of the formulated pesticides. So, in current study, the genotoxic and cytotoxic
potential of technical and formulated tribenuron-methyl herbicide were investigated
in male rat bone-marrow cells, using the Structural Chromosomal Aberration (SCA)
and micronucleus (MN) test systems. Technical and formulated tribenuron-methyl
were administrated to rats as single or repeated oral doses of 5 (NOAEL), 25,
50 and 100 mg kg-1 b.wt. for 21 days at 48 h intervals. Results showed
that repetitive dose of formulated tribenuron-methyl (100 mg a.i. kg-1
b.wt.) induced significant decrease in the mitotic activity. After repetitive
doses, the frequency of total chromosomal aberrations was statistically significant
(p≤0.05-0.01) at two higher doses, 50 and 100 mg a.i. kg-1 b.wt.
of formulated tribenuron-methyl as well as significant increase (p≤0.05)
at high dose (100 mg a.i. kg-1 b.wt.) of technical tribenuron-methyl.
The frequency of MN was statistically significant at two higher doses, 50 (p≤0.05)
and 100 (p≤0.01) mg a.i. kg-1 b.wt. of formulated tribenuron-methyl.
Our results reveal that tribenuron-methyl has a clastogenic/genotoxic potential
as measured by the bone marrow CA and MN tests in rats. The partial differences
of the genotoxic effects obtained with pure and commercial tribenuron-methyl
indicate that commercial formulations may contain additional hazardous compounds.
Therefore, it is important in assessing the real human hazard from pesticides
to investigate not only the active principle but also the commercial formulations
used in agriculture.
