ATRAZINE AND ITS EFFECT ON THE STRUCTURAL FEATURES OF SOME DIGESTIVE ORGANS

  Clement Kurulemve Okpora & Otiedhe, Ufuomavefe Fiona

                Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences,

Rivers State University, Nkpolu Port Harcourt

                    E mail:okpobrows2006@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to determine the effect of atrazine (triazine) herbicide on the structural features of some digestive organs. Twelve (12) Albino Wistar rats weighing 96.1kg – 99.9kg were divided into 4 groups. Two groups made up of four rats in each group were the experimental group while the remaining two groups made up of the same number of rats were for the control. The males were separated from the females. Experimental groups feed pellets were treated with 3 mls. of the herbicide. The rats were fed with the treated feeds for the period of 28 and 42 days after which the selected organs (liver, stomach and large intestine) were harvested. The control groups were also fed for the same period of time but the feeds were not treated with atrazine herbicide. The organs mentioned above were also harvested from the control groups. Histological analysis was carried out on the organs and the results showed irregularity of hepatic columns in the liver. Some hepatocytes have clear vacuolated cytoplasm and densely stained nuclei. Congestion of central vein which was as a result of uneasy flow of blood due to improper oxygenation and dilation of the blood sinusoids with the disappearance of the hepatocytic vacuolation which resulted to increased number of mitotic figures and prominent nuclei on rat liver exposed to atrazine for 28 and 42 days were also observed. There were damages in the mucosal layer and degenerative changes in columnar epithelial cells in the stomach of the experimental animals.  Fatty deposition in the basal region, top plate thinning on stomach exposed to the herbicides for 28 and 42 days were also noticed. The large intestine of the rats fed for 28 days with treated feeds showed detachment of epithelia layer from lamina propria while that of the rats fed for 42 days showed distortion in the columnar epithelia cells and in connective tissue of lamina propria. These findings were not observed in the control groups when both groups were compared. Based on the above findings the study therefore concludes that atrazine herbicide has deleterious effect on the organs of the digestive system.

Keywords: Atrazine, Hepatocyte, Fumigation, Herbicide, Stomach and Intestine