Extra-pulmonary oxidative stress investigations of exposure to aerosol, of an over-the-counter pyrethroid insecticide product in Nigeria in Wistar rats were carried out. Four groups of five animals each were used in this study, and were exposed to different concentrations of the insecticide aerosol. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH) concentrations were determined in the liver, kidney and testes, while the activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) were determined in liver only. Liver, kidney and testes showed no significant difference in their weights and relative weights when compared with control, except groups II and III where significant increase in liver weight was recorded. There was no significant increase in liver, kidney and testis MDA concentration when compared with the control. There was significant decrease in testis GSH for all groups, while significant increase was seen in groups III and IV for kidney GSH and group II only for liver GSH. The activities of liver CAT, SOD, GST and GPx were reduced, but showed no significant difference when compared with the control. Our investigations therefore reveal that the compositions of the pyrethroid insecticide product may not play any role in extra-pulmonary tissue oxidative damage.

 

Key words: Insecticide aerosol, pyrethroid, oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation, rats.