Glyphosate, a common herbicide widely used all over the world, can reach the aquatic
environment and adversely affect their living organisms. The current study was designed
to investigate the possible ameliorating effect of Foeniculum vulgare (Fennel)
against glyphosate exposure in Nile tilapia. The fish in this study were assigned into
six groups: Control group, Fennel 1 group and Fennel 2 group: fed on 1 and 2 ml/kg
diet, respectively, Glyphosate group: exposed to 1.2 ± 0.05 mg/L glyphosate in water,
Glyphosate + Fennel 1 group and Glyphosate + Fennel 2 group: exposed to glyphosate
and fed on fennel supplemented diet, all for 30 days. Blood and tissue samples
were collected from all groups at the end of the experiment. The biochemical analysis
of serum revealed a significant increase in alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate
aminotransferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities after glyphosate exposure.
Moreover, a profound state of hepatic oxidative stress was observed in fish
exposed to glyphosate as an increase in malondialdehyde and DNA fragmentation
and a decrease in antioxidant enzyme activities. The gene expression of hepatic pro-inflammatory
cytokines (Tumour necrosis factor-α–
Interleukin-
1β)
was up-regulated
in
the glyphosate group. On the other hand, a diet supplemented with fennel extract reversed
to a large extent the above-mentioned
adverse effects of glyphosate exposure
in a dose-dependent
manner. Therefore, we could conclude that fennel supplementation
provides a natural, safe and economically available method to reverse and protect
against the inevitable pesticide exposure in non-target
organisms as Nile tilapia |
