Antigenotoxic activity of the subterranean termite on Swiss albino mice

Abstract

The paper reports the antigenotoxic potential of the termite (Odontotermes formosanus Shiraki) supplemented food on acephate and endosulfan induced toxicity in the Swiss albino mice (Mus musculus). Dietary supplementation with termite to male and female mice Mus musculus treated with acephate and endosulfan significantly decreased the percentage of chromosomal aberration and micronuclei in the bone marrow cells than in pesticide treated F0 and F1 generations (P < 0.01). The chromosomal aberrations induced by acephate and endosulfan included minute, gap, inversion, ring, pulverization and tetraploids. The experimental groups treated with acephate/endosulfan and supplemented with termite food did not show critical genotoxic aberration markers like pulverization and ploidy suggesting a strong antigenotoxic effect of the termite components.