Journal of Drug Metabolism & Toxicology
Open Access
ISSN: 2157-7609
+44-20-4587-4809
ISSN: 2157-7609
+44-20-4587-4809
Cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walpers is an important edible legume crop, is a good source of vegetable protein for millions of people. The estimation of global post-harvest losses caused by insect damage is enormous; therefore to prevent such wastage the use of synthetic chemical pesticides to protect stored grains is widespread. In some cases pesticide contamination of fumigated grains has been documented. The aim of this study to establish if oxidative stress is induced in animals exposed to such treated/contaminated cowpea. Eighteen female Wistar rats divided equally into three groups were used for the study. The rats in the first group were fed untreated cowpea and served as control while the rats in the second and third groups received phosphide-powder residue contaminated and uncontaminated cowpea respectively. Blood was drawn by retro-orbital bleeding. Analysis of blood to determine levels of malondialdehyde and glutathione as well as the activities of serum catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione S transferase and superoxide dismutase in these rats revealed that while the level of reduced glutathione and activities of antioxidant enzymes were significantly reduced (p<0.05), the levels of malondialdehyde and oxidized glutathione were significantly increased (p<0.05) in rats fed with contaminated cowpea compared with control. These indices were not significantly changed (p>0.05) in rats fed with uncontaminated cowpea compared with control. The results of this study support the hypothesis that exposure of an animal to phosphide powder residue is capable of inducing oxidative stress.