Assessment of anilofos-induced mutagenicity in bone marrow and germ cells of Swiss albino mice.

Anilofos is an organophosphate compound and is used extensively as a preemergence and early postemergence herbicide for the management of sedges, annual grasses, and some broad-leaved weeds in rice fields. The present study was aimed to assess the mutagenic potential of anilofos after sub-chronic exposure in Swiss albino mice. For this, a combined approach employing micronucleus (MN), chromosomal aberration (CA) studies and sperm-head abnormalities (SHAs) was used. Three dose levels of 1%, 2%, and 4% of maximum tolerated dose (MTD) (235 mg/kg b.wt.), that is, 2.35, 4.7 and 9.4 mg/kg b.wt., respectively, were administered orally daily for 90 days. A higher incidence of micronucleated erythrocytes (polychromatic erythrocytes + normochromatic erythrocytes), significant increase in CA frequency, and significant decrease in the ratio of polychromatic/normochromatic erythrocytes (P/N) ratio were observed at the 4.7 and 9.4 mg/kg b.wt. dose levels. A significant increase in SHA was observed in all treatment groups (2.35, 4.7, and 9.4 mg/kg b.wt.) from the control group. In conclusion, anilofos exposure of 2% and 4% of MTD caused a higher rate of micronucleated erythrocytes, increased frequency of CA, increase in SHA, and lower P/N ratio, and pesticide exposure of 1% of MTD only resulted in higher SHAs. Thus, anilofos was found to have mutagenic potential in mice when administered daily orally at dose rate of 4.7 and 9.4 mg/kg b.wt. for 90 days.