Sublethal effects of endosulfan and diazinon pesticides on glutathione-S-transferase (GST) in various tissues of adult amphibians (Bufo regularis).

Glutathione-S-transferase (GST) plays a key role in cellular detoxification of various xenobiotic chemical, especially pesticides. The study was carried out to assess the effects of the organochlorine pesticide, endosulfan and the organophosphate pesticide, diazinon on the activity of GST of different tissues in the African common toad, Bufo regularis. Toads were exposed for 28 days to varying levels of the pesticides: 0.01, 0.02, 0.03 and 0.04 microg L(-1) for the sublethal test. Activity of GST of toads exposed to the pesticides differentially increased significantly with increasing concentrations. The highest enhancement in GST activity was recorded in the liver followed by the brain, serum, GIT and lungs for both pesticide exposures. The differential increase in GST activity was tissue and pesticide specific. Liver GST increased up to 366% in endosulfan exposed toads and 393% in diazinon exposed toads in the highest concentration (0.04 microg L(-1)). Diazinon pesticide from this study proved to be more toxic than endosulfan pesticide.