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5204117 
Journal Article 
Abstract 
Sub acute toxic effect of ochratoxin A and endosulfan alone and their combination on hormonal disorder in adult male rats 
Kumar, SN; Jain, K; Singh, KP; Shrivastava, N; Telang, AG 
2008 
1 
Toxicology Letters
ISSN: 0378-4274
EISSN: 1879-3169 
180(Suppl.) 
S188 
English 
WOS:000259252100612 
Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a food born mycotoxin produced by several varieties of Aspergillus ochraceus and Penicillium verrucosum. Endosulfan, an organochlorine pesticide (OCP) is widely used for pest control in food crops. Exposure to OTA or/and endosulfan has been shown to disturb equilibrium of thyroid hormone (T3 and T4), prolactin, cortisol, insulin and testosterone in adult male rats. Being a toxic compound, while it is possible that endosulfan could also inhibit the growth of Aspergillus and Penicillium, apart from pest, studies have shown that different species of Aspergillus can be used for bioremediation of endosulfan. Thus in improperly stored food and feed there is possibility of twin contamination by endosulfan as well as OTA.

This study was taken up to study the effects of OTA and endosulfan alone as well as their combination on the levels of different hormones. Endosulfan [5 mg/kg BW/day in corn oil by oral gavage]; OTA (@ 4 ppm/kg Bw day in feed) and a combination of both endosulfan (@ 5 mg/kg BW/day in corn oil by oral gavage) + OTA (4 ppm mixed in feed) were given for 30 days to groups of ten rats each. Simultaneously, a control group of 10 rats were also fed with basal ration for 30 days. The study revealed that exposure of OTA and endosulfan alone and their combination resulted in increased the level of thyroxine (T4) and prolactin in rats, but a marked decrease level of serum testosterone, triiodothyronine (T3), insulin and cortisol in the toxicants treated groups in comparison to controls. The effect on the levels of hormones was more pronounced in the combination treatment group as compared with the individual treatment groups, suggesting an additive interaction of OTA and endosulfan in adult male Wistar rats. 
45th Congress of the European Societies of Toxicology 
Rhodes, Greece 
October 5-8, 2008