Histopathological alterations induced by subacute imidacloprid toxicity in Japanese quails and its amelioration by Butea monosperma

Abstract

Two weeks old Japanese quails (n=75) were divided into five groups comprising 15 birds in each. Group 1 served as control, group 2 was treated with imidacloprid @ 50 ppm in feed, group 3 was treated with B. monosperma @ 4 ppm, group 4 was treated with both imidacloprid @ 50 ppm and B. monosperma @ 2 ppm and group 5 was treated with imidacloprid @ 50 ppm and B. monosperma @ 4 ppm for 28 days. Liver of birds treated with imidacloprid showed severe degenerative changes and periportal necrosis and kidneys showed interstitial haemorrhages and vacuolar degenerative changes. Haemorrhages and disrupted bronchial epithelium in lungs, cellular oedema and degenerative changes in myofibers of heart, neuronal degeneration and vacuolation in brain, decreased lymphoid population in spleen, desquamation of villous epithelium in intestine, degeneration of the sciatic nerve fibers were evident in the imidacloprid treated birds. Co-administration of B. monosperma against imidacloprid restored gross and histopathological changes in these organs. This study indicated that, subacute exposure of imidacloprid @ 50 ppm in feed resulted in hepatotoxicity and cytotoxicity. Co-administration of B. monosperma ameliorated histological architecture of these organs with more pronounced effect at 4 ppm in feed.