Augmented hepatic susceptibility to malathion toxicity in rats on low-protein diets

With an increasing world population, use of pesticides is unavoidable. However, indiscriminate use of these chemical agents has resulted in several incidents of human intoxication. Toxic effects of human exposure may be influenced by their nutritional status. Effects of malathion, an organophosphorus insecticide, on the hepatic lipid and protein levels and GOT, GPT, and beta-glucuronidase activities in rats maintained on 16, 6, and 1% protein diets for a period of 3 weeks is reported. The doses of malathion used were 5, 50, 250, and 500 mg/kg body wt, administered 24 hr prior to decapitation. The results obtained indicated that malathion induced alterations in enzyme activity; lipid and protein levels were further perturbed by the dietary protein deficiency.