Allethrin-induced genotoxicity and oxidative stress in Swiss albino mice

Allethrin (C(19)H(26)O(3)) is non-cyano-containing pyrethroid insecticide that is used extensively for controlling flies and mosquitoes. Apart from its neurotoxic effects in non-target species, allethrin is reported to be mutagenic in bacterial systems. In this study, we observed oxidative damage-mediated genotoxicity caused by allethrin in Swiss albino mice. The genotoxic potential of allethrin was evaluated using chromosome aberrations (CAs) and a micronuclei (MN) induction assay as genetic end-points. The oral intubation of allethrin (25 and 50mg/kg b.wt.) significantly induces CAs and MN in mouse bone marrow cells. The DNA-damaging potential of allethrin was estimated in mouse liver using the DNA alkaline unwinding assay (DAUA) and by measuring the levels of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxy-guanosine (8-OH-dG). Furthermore, a dose-dependent increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and lipid peroxidation (LPO), with a concurrent decrease in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase, confirm its pro-oxidant potential. The DNA-damaging potential of allethrin was found to be mediated through the modulation of p53, p21, GADD45α and MDM-2. These results confirm the genotoxic and the pro-oxidant potential of allethrin in Swiss albino mice.