Hepatic effect of the sub-chronic exposure to mosquito coil smoke in albino mice

The hepatic effect of chronic inhalation of mosquito coil smoke in mice was investigated. Mosquito coil smoke is mosquito repellent incense made from dried pyrethrum powder. It is widely used in Africa, Asia and South America. Exposure to mosquito coil smoke may lead to coughing, sneezing, and inflammation of trachea, renal damage, weight loss, headache, itching and skin reaction. It decreases the protein biosynthetic activity of the liver. This could affect capacity of serum protein-mediated transport of various substances. Goldeer mosquito coil containing 0.03% Transfluthrin, manufactured in Kano, Nigeria and purchased in Zaria was used for this experiment. Twenty-four (24) male mice (20-40 g), were divided into four groups of six mice each and exposed for six weeks to mosquito coil smoke for 1, 2 and 3 hours in an inhalation chamber. The animals were humanely sacrificed and the their blood samples collected and analysed for the enzymes, Aspartate amino transferase (AST), Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) as markers of Hepatic function. Also, their brain tissues were collected, homogenized and centrifuged and the supernatants assayed for oxidative stress biomarker, malondialdehyde (MDA) and antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and Catalase (CAT). Data were analysed using one way ANOVA and expressed as Mean±SEM with value of P<0.05 considered statistically significant. The result showed that the mosquito coil smoke exposure in mice does not cause any significant change in liver enzymes, MDA and SOD. However, there were significant increases in CAT activity (43.83±1.85) and (41.67±1.36) as compared to control (38.50±1.00).