IN-VIVO DETERMINATION OF NO OBSERVED ADVERSE EFFECT LEVEL AND NO OBSERVED EFFECT LEVEL (NOAEL AND NOEL) OF FIPRONIL IN RATS USING HAEMATOLOGICAL INDICES AND LIVER MARKERS

Abstract

There is the need to determine the no observed adverse effect level and no observed effect level (NOAEL and NOEL) of fipronil using haematological indices and liver markers of albino rats as recent trend in development of resistance by pests may lead to increasing the quantity of fipronil required to control them. Acute toxicity of fipronil (Terminator") was performed in rats using modified up and down method to determine the lethal dose fifty (LDse). Sub-acute study of fipronil (Terminator") was performed using twenty four rats assigned into four groups to determine the no observed adverse effect level and no observed effect level (NOAEL and NOEL) of fipronil. The rats were treated with 4.0, 1.0 and 0.25 mg/kg body weight, bw of fipronil (Terminator) orally for groups A, B and C respectively. Rats in group D was treated with 10ml/kg water and serve as the control. Both the Terminator® and water were given daily for 28 days. Hematological indices (haemoglobin concentration, Hb; red blood cell counts, RBC; packed cell volume, PCV and total white blood cell counts, TWBC) and Liver markers (alkaline phosphotase, ALP; albumin, Albumin; Total protein, TP; total cholesterol, TCHOL) were assessed on days 0, 14 and 28. Results for acute toxicity tests revealed decreased feed consumption, decreased grooming, hind limb paralysis, prolonged recumbency, and death among rats. The LDso was estimated at 62.98mg/kg. For the sub-acute study, results of PCV, Hb, TWBC and RBC of rats in group A showed a decrease (P<0.05) on day 14 and 28 compared to other groups. The NOAEL and NOEL of fipronil was estimated to be 4.0 and 1.0 mg/kg respectively.