Abstract

ANTI-HYPERLIPIDAEMIC EFFECT OF OCIMUM SANCTUM ON ENDOSULFAN INDUCED TOXICITY

Sanjeev Kumar Jha* and Dilip Kumar Paul

Abstract

Indiscriminate use of agrochemicals under conventional agriculture not only causes severe health hazards for human beings but also has numerous other side effects on the environment including destruction of the biodiversity. Endosulfan is an organochlorine insecticide effective against a wide range of pests of cereals, coffee, cotton, fruits, oilseeds, potato, tea and vegetables. Moreover, it is easily absorbed by the stomach, lungs and skin and exposure through any route can be hazardous. In the present study, endosulfan was administered orally at the dose of 3mg/Kg body weight per day to Swiss albino mice for 4 weeks. Upon 4 Weeks endosulfan pretreated mice group Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi) leaf extracts at the dose of 1000 mg/Kg body weight per day was orally administered for 4 weeks to these groups to observe the ameliorative effect. Mice were sacrificed at each interval and their blood and tissue samples were collected for biochemical assay (for lipid profile). After endosulfan exposure, the lipid profile level shows inclination in the total cholesterol level, cholesterol (LDL) level and triglycerides level while declination in cholesterol (HDL) level. But upon Ocimum sanctum leaf extract treatment to the endosulfan treated group showed significant declination in the total cholesterol level, cholesterol (LDL) level and triglycerides level while inclination in cholesterol (HDL) level. Thus, from the above study it can be concluded that although the entrance of these hazardous pesticide (endosulfan) into our body cannot be stopped but by the use of these medicinal plant extracts as potent antidote can solve the problem at much extent, normalizing the physiology of the body and maintaining the cellular integrity and normal functioning of the system.

Keywords: Endosulfan, Ocimum sanctum, hyperlipdiaemic effect.