Effects of chronic intake of diazinon on blood and brain monoamines and amino acids.

Male rats were treated bi-weekly by gavage with the equivalent of 0.5 mg X kg-1 X day-1 technical diazinon for up to 28 weeks. The animals were sacrificed at specific time intervals (7, 14 and 28 weeks) and compared with age matched controls. Blood and brain tissues were analysed for cholinesterase activity and for concentrations of catecholamines and amino acids. Only Plasma cholinesterase was significantly reduced by the low level pesticide treatment. Erythrocyte acetyl cholinesterase and brain acetyl cholinesterase were unchanged while during the same period several putative brain neurotransmitters aspartate, glutamate (excitatory) and taurine as well as GABA (inhibitory) were significantly reduced in experimental vs control animals whereas no significant changes occurred between weeks in similarly fed animals. Blood serotonin was significantly elevated but no other blood or brain monoamine was significantly altered. Overt manifestations of brain toxicity observed were not apparent in experimental compared with control animals save for a significant decrease in growth observed in experimental animals. It was concluded that oral administration of low doses of diazinon exerts significant effects other than as an anticholinesterase on important brain neurotransmitters even at the low dose levels administered in this study.