Objective: Pesticides are major contaminants of our environment. Chlorpyrifos (CPF), a broad spectrum organophosphate insecticide, is one of the most used organophosphate pesticides in domestic and industrial applications all over the world. This work was undertaken to evaluate the protective effect of propolisand nigella sativa oil against the toxic effects of Chlorpyrifos on the liver and testes of adult male albino rats.
Material and methods: Eighty adult male albino rats were used in this study. They were divided into 8 equal groups: Group I (negative control group); Group II (positive control group); Group III gavaged with propolis (400mg/Kg b. w.); GroupIVgavaged with nigellasativa oil (100 mg/Kg b.w.); Group V with CPF 6.75 mg/ Kg b. w. / (1/20 of the oral LD₅₀); while group VI gavaged with propolis and CPF, group VII gavaged with nigella sativa oil and CPF, and groupVIII gavaged with both propolis and nigella sativa oil and CPF in the same previous doses. All treatments were given by oral gavage once daily for 12 weeks. Blood samples were obtained for assessment of total antioxidant capacity (TAC). Liver and testicular specimens were obtained for assessment of malondialdehyde (MDA) and histopathological examination by light and electron microscopes.
Results: CPF induced chronic toxic effects in the liver and testes which were evidenced by significant increases in hepatic and testicular MDA and significant decrease in TAC serum levels. These results were confirmed by structural and ultra-structural alterations in liver and testes of CPF treated rats. Administration of propolis or nigella sativa alone or in combination ameliorated CPF induced toxic effects, but the most remarkable effects were observed in rats treated with combination of Propolis and nigella sativa. Conclusion: Combination of propolis and nigella sativa had marked protective effects against CPF-induced toxicity in liver and testes of adult albino rats.