Premium
A sub‐acute study of metronidazole toxicity assessed in Egyptian Tilapia zillii
Author(s) -
Khalil Wagdy K. B.,
Mahmoud Mahmoud A.,
Zahran Malak M.,
Mahrous Karima F.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of applied toxicology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.784
H-Index - 87
eISSN - 1099-1263
pISSN - 0260-437X
DOI - 10.1002/jat.1217
Subject(s) - metronidazole , toxicity , genotoxicity , pharmacology , micronucleus , carcinogen , micronucleus test , mutagen , rapd , biology , medicine , toxicology , traditional medicine , antibiotics , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , population , genetic diversity , environmental health
Metronidazole (MTZ), an antiparasitic and antibacterial compound, is one of the world's most widely used drugs. Despite being considered as a rodent mutagen and a carcinogen, it is still widely used in humans for the treatment of infections with anaerobic organisms. Therefore, the main objective of the current study was to evaluate the in vivo toxicity of MTZ using the micronucleus (MN) assay and random amplified polymorphism DNA (RAPD‐PCR) analysis as well as histopathological examination in Tilapia zillii . Moreover, the protective effect of vitamin C (VitC) against toxicity of MTZ was investigated in the present study. Fish were treated with three doses of MTZ (5, 10 and 20 mg l −1 ) alone or in combination with VitC (200 mg kg −1 food) at several time intervals (2 days, 7 days and 14 days). The results of the present study showed a significant effect of MTZ on micronucleus formation and changes in polymorphic band patterns as well as induction of different histopathological alterations in Tilapia zillii . The effects of the drug were reduced when fish were exposed to a combination of MTZ and VitC. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.