ANALYSIS OF ENZYMATIC MARKER ACTIVITY OF HEPATOTOXICITY UNDER MODEL EXPOSURE TO GLYPHOSATE AND IMIDAZOLINONES IN CARASSIUS GIBELIO
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31861/biosystems2025.03.361Keywords:
glyphosate, imidazolinones, aminotransferases, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyltransferase, fishAbstract
The article presents the results of a comparative analysis of the activity of enzyme markers of hepatotoxicity in the blood serum of silver crucian carp (Carassius gibelio) under conditions of model exposure to high concentrations of common herbicides—glyphosate (the drug “Uragan Forte 500 SL”) and imidazolinones (Eurolighting). The relevance of the study is due to the need to assess environmental risks in the context of full-scale hostilities in Ukraine, which can lead to local “salvo” emissions of agrochemicals into water bodies in concentrations that significantly exceed background levels.
The experiment lasted 7 days and was conducted on C. gibelio specimens kept in water with a concentration gradient of toxicants from 1 to 10 MPC. The functional state of the liver was assessed based on the activity of key enzymes: alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT). It was found that both classes of compounds cause a pronounced metabolic imbalance, initiating a cascade of pathological reactions. The study revealed a clear dose-dependent response: maximum enzyme activity was recorded at an exposure of 10 MPC. At the same time, significant differences in the thresholds of toxic action were found: for glyphosate, a significant increase in ALT activity was observed already at 1 MPC, while for imidazolinones, a similar level of cytolysis was recorded only at 5 MPC.
The results indicate different directions of toxic effects of the drugs. The effect of imidazolinones is predominantly hepatotropic, as confirmed by an increase in ALT and a decrease in the de Ritis coefficient. Glyphosate, on the other hand, shows signs of systemic cytotoxicity, causing profound damage not only to hepatocytes but also, presumably, to myocytes, as evidenced by an extreme increase in AST. The combination of high ALP and GGT activity at concentrations of 5–10 MPC indicates the development of cholestasis syndrome and profound membrane dysfunction of bile duct cells.
It was concluded that there is a fundamental difference in the direction of the toxic effects of the studied compounds: while imidazolinones have a pronounced hepatotoxic effect with the localization of pathological processes mainly in the liver parenchyma, glyphosate is a more aggressive toxicant for hydrobionts and exhibits the properties of a systemic cytotoxic agent for fish. The data obtained are critically important for modeling scenarios of accidental pollution of water bodies and developing strategies for preserving their biodiversity.
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