Haematological and hepatotoxic effects of isoprocarb in chicken.

The haematological and hepatotoxic effects were studied after oral administration of Isoprocarb at 75, 112.5 and 150 mg kg-1 daily for 21 days in male and female chicken Gallus gallus domesticus (White Leghorns). The toxic effects as observed 10 or 21 days after medication include a statistically significant reduction in haemoglobin (Hb) content, haematocrit (Ht), protein and serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), and an increase in glucose, serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (SGOT) and serum acid phosphatase (SAP) activities of male and female chicken. The changes in other haematological parameters were generally insignificant, except for one or two doses in RBC, WBC, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and chloride. A significant inhibition of RBC acetylcholinesterase was noticed after 21 days of dosing only at the high dose (150 mg kg-1) in hens. The decrease in food intake and body weights of males and females indicated the overt signs of toxicity. In addition to haematological alterations, the results suggest both hepatotoxic and stress effects and pinpoint that these early biochemical changes induced by Isoprocarb may be predictive of pesticide toxicity.