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Updated: May 3, 2026

Quantification of the Potential Impact of Glyphosate-Based Products on Microbiomes
Published on: January 10, 2022
Glyphosate commercial formulation causes cytotoxicity, oxidative effects, and apoptosis on human cells: differences
Gabriela Chaufan1, Isis Coalova, María Del Carmen Ríos de Molina
1Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Ciudad Universitaria, 2 Pabellón, 4 piso, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, CP 1428, Argentina.
Abstract:
In the present study, the effects on oxidative balance and cellular end points of glyphosate, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), and a glyphosate formulation (G formulation) were examined in HepG2 cell line, at dilution levels far below agricultural recommendations. Our results show that G formulation had toxic effects while no effects were found with acid glyphosate and AMPA treatments. Glyphosate formulation exposure produced an increase in reactive oxygen species, nitrotyrosine formation, superoxide dismutase activity, and glutathione (GSH) levels, while no effects were observed for catalase and GSH-S-transferase activities. Also, G formulation triggered caspase 3/7 activation and hence induced apoptosis pathway in this cell line. Aminomethylphosphonic acid exposure produced an increase in GSH levels while no differences were observed in other antioxidant parameters. No effects were observed when the cells were exposed to acid glyphosate. These results confirm that G formulations have adjuvants working together with the active ingredient and causing toxic effects that are not seen with acid glyphosate.
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