Effects of ultra high dilution of paraquat 30 ch on growth, chlorophyll content and yield of rice crop

The application of synthetic fertilizers reduces the natural fertility of the soil and contaminates groundwater. Some photosynthesis inhibitors at ultra-high dilution (UHD) increase photosynthesis, growth, and yield of crops. A weedicide Paraquat at UHD enhanced the growth and yield of potatoes in fields. The objective is to see whether the UHD of Paraquat is also effective on rice. This weedicide was serially diluted with distilled water and manually succussed in 30 steps following the preparation of homeopathic dilutions called potencies. In this way, the 30thpotency of Paraquat called Paraquat 30 cH was prepared and preserved in 90 % ethanol. Paraquat 30 cH was diluted with water 1:1000 (v/v) and sprayed on rice plants in a field measuring 0.3125 acres. The control plot of the same area was situated 300 meters away from the test plot. Three treatments were given at an interval of 7 days. The treated plot showed increased growth, chlorophyll content, and rice yield significantlycompared to control. The UHD of the weedicide produced precisely the opposite effect of the crude material on plants. The increased growth and yield of rice by Paraquat 30 cH may be due to the enhancement of photosynthesis of treated plants. The UHD of Paraquat increased the yield of rice by 19.35% over the control.

The effect of Zataria multiflora hydroalcoholic extract on memory and lung changes induced by rats that inhaled paraquat.

Objectives: The effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Zataria multiflora (Z. multiflora) on memory changes, as well as lung injury due to inhaled paraqut (PQ) in rat, were examined.Method: Control group of rat with saline aerosol administration, PQ groups with PQ aerosol (27 and 54 mg/m3) administration, PQ groups treated with two doses of the extract (200 and 800 mg/kg/day) and dexamethasone (0.03 mg/kg/day) were studied. Shuttle box and Morris Water Maze (MWM) tests were carried out as well as oxidant, anti-oxidant markers, total and differential white blood cell (WBC) counts and cytokine levels in broncho-alveolar lavage (BALF).Results: Inhaled PQ significantly increased the escape latency and travelled distance in MWM test, but the time spent in the target quadrant on the probe day was significantly reduced (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001). The latency to enter the dark room at 3, 24, and 48 h after an electrical shock was reduced due to PQ (p < 0.05 to p < 0.001). Exposure to PQ significantly increased total WBC, neutrophil, eosinophil, lymphocyte, and monocyte counts, IL-10, interferon gama (INF-γ), nitrite (NO2), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, but catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and thiol levels were decreased (p < 0.05 to p < 0.00). Z. multiflora and dexamethasone treatment significantly improved all behavioral as well as lung changes induced by inhaled PQ (p < 0.05 to p < 0.01).Conclusion: Z. multiflora treatment improved learning and memory impairment as well as lung inflammation and oxidative stress induced by inhaled PQ.

The Ocular Protective Effects of Nano/Submicron Particles Prepared from Lycium barbarum Fruits Against Oxidative Stress in an Animal Model.

Purpose: To investigate the antioxidative properties of Lycium barbarum (LB) fruits in the eyes and to study whether LB fruits prepared with new nanotechnology have stronger antioxidative effects. Methods: Fourteen days post-supplementation with milled or blended LB fruits, intravitreal paraquat (PQ) was injected into Wistar rats to create oxidative stress. After an additional 14-day supplementation with LB fruits, the rats were sacrificed. An electroretinogram (ERG) was performed to evaluate retinal function before and after the PQ injection. Expression levels of antioxidative responders' mRNA in retina were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione reductase activity in the aqueous humor (AqH) were analyzed by ELISA. Immunohistochemistry was conducted to evaluate the morphological changes of retina and the levels of oxidative biomarkers. The levels of cell apoptosis were assessed by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in AqH were measured by chemiluminescence methods. Results: The murine eyes supplemented with LB fruits exhibited several changes compared with the control group. The ERGs revealed significant improvement in retinal function. The mRNA expression levels of oxidative responders were downregulated in the retinas. The ROS was significantly reduced in the retinas, but the SOD meaningfully increased in the AqH. Immunohistochemistry staining and TUNEL assays showed decreased incidences of oxidative biomarkers and apoptosis in the retinas. Milled LB fruits exhibited better antioxidative effects than blended fruits. Conclusions: Milled LB fruits demonstrated superior protection against oxidative threats than blended fruits. Thus, these fruits could be an inexpensive supplement for many oxidative stress-related ocular diseases.

Reduning injection ameliorates paraquat-induced acute lung injury by regulating AMPK/MAPK/NF-κB signaling.

Reduning injection (RDN), a patented Chinese medicine, is broadly used for common cold and lung infection in clinic, but the mechanism underlying its effects on inflammation-related pulmonary injury remains unclear. Paraquat (PQ, bolus 15 mg/kg dose, ip) was administered for acute lung injury induction in mice, which were orally administered dexamethasone (2 mg/kg) or RDN (50 and 100 mg/kg/day) for 5 days. After treatment, plasma and lung tissue samples from the euthanized animals were obtained and analyzed by histological, biochemical and immunoblot assays. Histological observation demonstrated RDN alleviated PQ-induced lung damage. Meanwhile, RDN suppressed myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, reduced the wet/dry (W/D) ratio and decreased the amounts of total leukocytes and neutrophils. Treatment also markedly decreased the amounts of malondialdehyde, MPO, and inflammatory cytokines while increasing superoxide dismutase activity in comparison with the PQ group. In immunoblot, RDN blocked the phosphorylation levels of adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK), JNK, ERK, p38, inhibitor of nuclear factor κB kinase and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in lung tissue specimens in PQ-challenged animals, which was further verified in vitro. The above data indicated protective effects for RDN in PQ-induced lung damage, possibly through inhibition of the AMPK/MAPK/NF-κB pathway.

Protective role of thymoquinone against paraquat-induced hepatotoxicity in mice.

Paraquat is a common and effective herbicide; although its poisoning could lead to severe oxidative organ damages and its main target organs are the lungs, kidneys, heart, and liver. Thymoquinone is the active ingredient of Nigella sativa which is traditionally used in herbal medicine; recent studies have shown that thymoquinone could inhibit oxidative stress. This study explores protective effects of thymoquinone on paraquat-induced hepatotoxicity in mice. Accordingly, adult male mice were randomly divided into nine groups for three continuous days intraperitoneal injection treatment: (1) control; (2) solvent; (3) 20 mg/kg vitamin E; (4) 20 mg/kg thymoquinone; (5) 20 mg/kg paraquat and Groups 6, 7, 8, and 9 received 20 mg/kg of vitamin E and 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg of thymoquinone, respectively. The last four groups, received 20 mg/kg paraquat just 24 h after pretreatments. We assessed serum liver enzymes activities, liver histopathology changes, oxidative (lipid peroxidation) and antioxidative (ferric reducing antioxidant power) potential, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activity, and total thiol groups content after administration of the poison and treatments. Pretreatment with 10 mg/kg thymoquinone inhibited, safely, the elevations in levels of liver function tests (LFTs) and lipid peroxidation, restored the activity of SOD, and ameliorated the histopathological alterations induced by paraquat. Eventually, our results indicate that thymoquinone performs its hepatoprotective role in mice by prevention of SOD suppression mediated by paraquat.

Determinação de paraquate em batatas / Determination of paraquat in potatoes

O Paraquate (1,1'-dimetil-4,4'-bipiridina- dicloreto) é herbicida amplamente utilizado em vários países para diferentes culturas. O objetivo é determinar a concentração de Paraquate em batatas comercializadas em diferentes estabelecimentos da zona leste de São Paulo. Foram coletadas 12 (doze) amostras de batatas adquiridas no comércio varejista (sacolões, ou seja, do de frutas, verduras e legumes; supermercados e feiras livres) da zona leste do município de São Paulo. A quantificação do Paraquate foi baseada na reação de complexação com o ditionito de sódio, gerando composto de cor azulada, cuja absorvância foi lida em espectrofotômetro em comprimento de onda de 600nm. Foi construída a curva padrão e a determinada a equação da reta (y = 1,6448x e R2= 0,9945). O limite de tolerância do herbicida em alimentos é de 0,2 partes por milhão ou 0,2 mg/kg, enquanto que a ingestão diária aceitável (IDA) é de 0,004 mg/kg de peso corpóreo. Assim, pode-se observar que os valores encontrados em três amostras estão acima do limite máximo permitido, enquanto quatro apresentaram concentrações muito próximas ao limite. Os resultados permitem inferir que existe a necessidade de intensificação na fiscalização nos locais de comercialização de alimentos produzidos com a utilização de agrotóxicos.(AU)

Paraquat (1,1'-dimethyl-4,4'- bipyridine-dichloride) is herbicide widely used in several countries in different plantations. The objective is to determine the concentration of Paraquat in potatoes, marketed in different establishments in the eastern zone of São Paulo. Twelve (12) samples of potatoes purchased from the retail trade ("sacolões", ie fruit, vegetable and vegetable markets, supermarkets and free markets) were collected from the eastern part of the city of São Paulo. The quantification of Paraquat was based on the reaction of complexation with the sodium dithionite, generating compound of blue color, whose absorbance was read in a spectrophotometer at wavelength of 600 nm. The standard curve was constructed and the equation of the line was determined (y = 1,6448x e R2 = 0,9945). The tolerance limit of the herbicide in foods is 0.2 parts per million or 0.2 mg/kg, while the acceptable daily intake (ADI) is 0.004 mg/kg body weight. Thus, it can be observed that the values found in three samples are above the maximum allowed limit, while four of them presented concentrations very close to the limit. The results allow inferring that there is a need for intensification in the inspection in the commercial places of food produced with the use of pesticides.

Standardized Bacopa monnieri extract ameliorates acute paraquat-induced oxidative stress, and neurotoxicity in prepubertal mice brain.

OBJECTIVES: Bacopa monnieri (BM), an ayurvedic medicinal plant, has attracted considerable interest owing to its diverse neuropharmacological properties. Epidemiological studies have shown significant correlation between paraquat (PQ) exposure and increased risk for Parkinson's disease in humans. In this study, we examined the propensity of standardized extract of BM to attenuate acute PQ-induced oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunctions, and neurotoxicity in the different brain regions of prepubertal mice. METHODS: To test this hypothesis, prepubertal mice provided orally with standardized BM extract (200 mg/kg body weight/day for 4 weeks) were challenged with an acute dose (15 mg/kg body weight, intraperitoneally) of PQ after 3 hours of last dose of extract. Mice were sacrificed after 48 hours of PQ injection, and different brain regions were isolated and subjected to biochemical determinations/quantification of central monoamine (dopamine, DA) levels (by high-performance liquid chromatography). RESULTS: Oral supplementation of BM for 4 weeks resulted in significant reduction in the basal levels of oxidative markers such as reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), and hydroperoxides (HP) in various brain regions. PQ at the administered dose elicited marked oxidative stress within 48 hours in various brain regions of mice. However, BM prophylaxis significantly improved oxidative homeostasis by restoring PQ-induced ROS, MDA, and HP levels and also by attenuating mitochondrial dysfunction. Interestingly, BM supplementation restored the activities of cholinergic enzymes along with the restoration of striatal DA levels among the PQ-treated mice. DISCUSSION: Based on these findings, we infer that BM prophylaxis renders the brain resistant to PQ-mediated oxidative perturbations and thus may be better exploited as a preventive approach to protect against oxidative-mediated neuronal dysfunctions.

Differential effects of specific carotenoids on oxidative damage and immune response of gull chicks.

Micronutrients are essential for normal metabolic processes during early development. Specifically, it has been suggested that diet-derived carotenoids can play a key role in physiological functions because of their antioxidant and immunostimulant properties. However, their role as antioxidants remains controversial. Additionally, it is also unclear whether oxidative stress mediates their immunostimulatory effects. In this field study, we separately supplemented yellow-legged gull (Larus michahellis) chicks with two carotenoids (lutein and ß-carotene) with different molecular structures and different transformation pathways into other oxidative forms of carotenoids. We quantified their effect on the oxidative status and the immune response of chicks before and after an oxidative challenge with paraquat, a pro-oxidant molecule. Prior to oxidative challenge, none of the carotenoid treatments affected the oxidative status of chicks, but they enhanced the inflammatory response to an antigen compared with controls. The oxidative challenge enhanced plasma vitamin E levels (but not in ß-carotene-supplemented chicks) and the antioxidant capacity in the short term. Interestingly, lutein-supplemented chicks showed lower oxidative damage to proteins than non-lutein-supplemented chicks. After the oxidative challenge, the positive effect of carotenoid supplementation on the immune response disappeared. Thus, these results suggest differential effects of two carotenoids with different molecular structures on the oxidative status. Lutein but not ß-carotene helps to combat oxidative damage after a free-radical exposure. Additionally, the results indicate that the immunostimulatory effects of carotenoids are linked to oxidative status during early life.

Differential regional expression patterns of α-synuclein, TNF-α, and IL-1ß; and variable status of dopaminergic neurotoxicity in mouse brain after Paraquat treatment.

BACKGROUND: Paraquat (1, 1-dimethyl-4, 4-bipyridium dichloride; PQ) causes neurotoxicity, especially dopaminergic neurotoxicity, and is a supposed risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms of PQ-induced neurodegeneration are far from clear. Previous studies have shown that PQ induces neuroinflammation and dopaminergic cell loss, but the prime cause of those events is still in debate. METHODS: We examined the neuropathological effects of PQ not only in substantia nigra (SN) but also in frontal cortex (FC) and hippocampus of the progressive mouse (adult Swiss albino) model of PD-like neurodegeneration, using immunohistochemistry, western blots, and histological and biochemical analyses. RESULTS: PQ caused differential patterns of changes in cellular morphology and expression of proteins related to PD and neuroinflammation in the three regions examined (SN, FC and hippocampus). Coincident with behavioral impairment and brain-specific ROS generation, there was differential immunolocalization and decreased expression levels of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the three regions, whereas α-synuclein immunopositivity increased in hippocampus, increased in FC and decreased in SN. PQ-induced neuroinflammation was characterized by area-specific changes in localization and appearances of microglial cells with or without activation and increment in expression patterns of tumor necrosis factor-α in the three regions of mouse brain. Expression of interleukin-1ß was increased in FC and hippocampus but not significantly changed in SN. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrates that PQ induces ROS production and differential α-synuclein expression that promotes neuroinflammation in microglia-dependent or -independent manners, and produces different patterns of dopaminergic neurotoxicity in three different regions of mouse brain.

Oxidative stress does not influence carotenoid mobilization and plumage pigmentation.

Oxidative stress has been suggested to create a link between 'good genes' and carotenoid coloration via an allocation conflict between external pigmentation and internal antioxidant functions. However, although carotenoid displays have been extensively investigated, there are no experimental tests of the antioxidant efficiency of carotenoids in vivo. We induced oxidative stress in a small passerine (the great tit, Parus major) under both carotenoid deprivation and supplementation, and investigated the effect on carotenoid mobilization (i.e. plasma) and allocation (i.e. deposition in feather incorporation and liver storage). We found no effects of the stressor on either mobilization or allocation of carotenoids. These results reject the previously suggested superior role of carotenoid's function as antioxidant in vivo with important implications for signal content and honesty.

Effects of yukmi, an herbal formula, on the liver of senescence accelerated mice (SAM) exposed to oxidative stress.

The effects of yukmi (Decoction of six plants including rehmannia), an herbal formula, were studied on liver oxidant damage induced by paraquat (PQ) administered intravenously in the senescence accelerated mice (SAM-P/8). The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase as two major antioxidant enzymes and lipid peroxidation levels were determined for six days. Data show that the activities of hepatic SODs and catalase were increased by oral administration of yukmi extracts following PQ pretreatment. Herbal medicine effectively blocked the PQ-induced effects on liver malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. For the histopathological changes in SAM-P/8 liver, yukmi extracts inhibited PQ-induced damage to the hepatic mitochondria and their membranes. Data suggest that yukmi extracts may be useful in protecting against oxidative damage.

Protective effects of chlorogenic acid on paraquat-induced oxidative stress in rats.

The protective effects of chlorogenic acid on paraquat-induced oxidative stress were examined in rats. The activities of erythrocytes and liver glutathione peroxidase, and of both liver catalase and glutathione reductase, which were increased by feeding paraquat, declined to the levels in the control rats by supplementing chlorogenic acid to the paraquat diet. The activity of superoxide dismutase was not changed by dietary paraquat or by supplementing chlorogenic acid to the paraquat diet. Paraquat in the diet markedly decreased the liver triacylglycerol and phospholipid concentrations, as well as the food intake and body weight gain, while chlorogenic acid protected against these decreases. These in vivo results and the in vitro superoxide anion scavenging activity of chlorogenic acid suggest that chlorogenic acid acted preventively against paraquat-induced oxidative stress.

Effects of vitamin E on toxicity by minute amounts of paraquat fed continuously to rats.

The effects of vitamin E on toxicity by minute amounts of paraquat fed continuously for some period to rats were investigated. Two experiments were carried out as experiments 1 and 2. In both experiments, weaning rats were divided at first into two groups; one group was given a vitamin E-deficient diet, and the other a vitamin E-supplemented control diet (50 mg alpha-tocopherol/kg of diet). They were fed on these diets for 40 days. After that, in both experiments, the rats that had been fed the vitamin E-deficient diet were further divided into two groups, which were either given a paraquat-added diet (+PQ-E) or continuously fed the same vitamin E-deficient diet (-E). The amount of paraquat added was 250 mg of methyl viologen per kg of diet. After the addition of paraquat, these two groups were pair-fed. In experiment 1, paraquat was given to all the rats fed the vitamin E-supplemented control diet (+PQ+E). In experiment 2, rats fed the control diet were divided into paraquat-added (+PQ+E) and non-paraquat-added (+E) groups, similar to those of vitamin E-deficient rats. These two groups were also pair-fed thereafter. In both experiments, about 35 days after paraquat addition, they were sacrificed. Plasma and liver alpha-tocopherol contents were measured by HPLC, and liver peroxidation value was measured by chemiluminescence and the TBA method. And, as parameters of vitamin E deficiency, plasma pyruvate kinase and GOT activities and alpha-cysteine proteinase inhibitor (alpha-CPI) level were measured. When the analyzed values were compared between paraquat-added and the corresponding not-added control groups (+PQ-E vs. -E, +PQ+E vs. +E), the following results were obtained. In experiment 1, the values of plasma and liver alpha-tocopherol levels were significantly lower in the +PQ-E group than those of the -E group; however, liver peroxidation values and values of the three parameters of vitamin E deficiency were not different significantly. In experiment 2, the value of liver alpha-tocopherol level was significantly lower in the +PQ+E group than that of the +E group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Prolonged, intravenous paraquat infusion in the rat. I. Failure of coinfused putrescine to attenuate pulmonary paraquat uptake, paraquat-induced biochemical changes, or lung injury.

Paraquat (PQ) was administered to rats for 7 days by iv infusion from osmotic minipump at dosage rates of 250 and 500 nmol PQ/hr. The efficacy of putrescine in attenuating pulmonary PQ accumulation in vivo and the resulting PQ-induced biochemical changes and lung injury were assessed in these animals by coinfusion of putrescine at rates of 2500 or 5000 nmol/hr. Dose-dependent, steady-state blood levels of both PQ and putrescine were achieved by 18 hr and maintained throughout the infusion period. Lung PQ content at 7 days was dose-dependent and up to 18-fold greater than corresponding blood levels. No evidence of toxicity was observed in low-dose PQ animals while weight loss and overt toxicity was observed in high-dose PQ rats between Days 4 and 5. Histopathological examination of high-dose PQ rat lungs revealed qualitative changes typical of PQ toxicity. Significant (p less than 0.05) increases in lung glutathione and activities of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and GSSG reductase resulted from both PQ doses, reflecting PQ-induced oxidant stress and increased demand on lung NADPH. A net decrease in lung NADPH (p less than 0.05) was directly measured in high-dose PQ rats and may have contributed to the PQ-induced lung injury. Although putrescine is an effective inhibitor of pulmonary PQ uptake in vitro, the blood putrescine levels achieved in this study did not appear to inhibit this process in vivo. This was evidenced by putrescine's failure to decrease 7-day lung PQ content, PQ-induced biochemical changes, or lung injury.