Evaluation of Chronic Toxicological Effects of 2, 2-Dichlorovinyl Dimethyl Phosphate (Sniper) in the Vitreous Humor Liver Function Parameters of New Zealand White Rabbits

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the chronic toxicological effects of 2, 2-dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate (Sniper) on the vitreous humor liver function of New Zealand white Rabbits.

Study Design: This is an experimental study.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Biological Science, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt animal house, Rivers State Teaching Hospital and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Hospital Laboratory, between January 2020 and April 2020.

Methodology: A total of twelve (12) male New Zealand white rabbits, two months old, weighing between 1.0 and 1.2 kg, were used in the study. For the dichlorvos death differentiation study, 12 rabbits were assigned to 3 cages of 4 rabbits per cage for the dichlorvos death differentiation study as follows: - cage A (control) which received 0.5ml of normal saline; cage B (dichlorvos intoxicated death rabbits) which received 0.5mg/kg of dichlorvos by oral route; cage C (non-sniper intoxicated death rabbits or disguised death) which received 0.5mg/kg of sniper 30 minutes after death by intraperitoneal route. All the groups were sacrificed, exactly 1 hour after death and 3.5ml of vitreous humor was collected from both eyes. The following biochemical parameters were analyzed using the vitreous humor: vitreous liver function tests (vitreous aspartate aminotransferase, alanine amino transferase, alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, total protein and albumin, using spectrophotometric method. Data generated were expressed as mean ± SD. ANOVA and Tukey’s multiple comparison test were used for result analysis. Variation in mean of parameters were considered statistically significant at P<0.05.

Results: The results showed that the AST, ALT and ALP levels for the control, sniper intoxicated death and non-Sniper intoxicated death (disguised death) were respectively: AST 6.30±0.83, 171.15±6.71 and 6.78±0.97(IU/L), ALT 5.19±0.64, 125.91± 6.03, 5.75± 0.55 (IU/L) and ALP 20.76±0.69, 166.43±5.13, 21.66± 0.48 (IU/L). There were significant differences when all the groups were compared for the three parameters. There were also significant increases in the levels of total protein, conjugated and unconjugated bilirubin and albumin levels, when values were compared for the three groups.

Conclusion: From the results, it can be concluded that Dichlorvos caused hepatoxicity in the group of intoxicated rabbits. Further studies to assay mechanism of toxicity molecularly would further elucidate the findings.