Organochlorine Pesticides and Cardiovascular Dysfunction: Evidence from an Adult Male Wistar Rat Model

Abstract

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are persistent environmental pollutants widely used in Ariculture. Their potential role in the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) is of growing concern, particularly in regions like Nigeria, where pesticide regulation is limited. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of organochloride pesticide exposure in the development of cardiovascular disease using adult Wistar rats as a model animal. The study population consisted of 10 adult Male wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus), aged 8–10 weeks and weighing 100–190 g. Wistar rats were randomly divided into five groups: a control group and four treatment groups receiving either low-dose or high-dose dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and endosulfan. The pesticides were administered orally for 21 consecutive days. Serum biomarkers of oxidative stress—catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA)—were assessed, Cardiac biomarker (Troponin-I) was assayed using Cardiac Troponin-I (cTnl), Semi- Quantitative Rapid Test kits, alongside histological examination of heart tissues. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA and Tukey post hoc tests, with p-values < 0.05 considered significant. High-dose DDT and endosulfan groups showed a marked reduction in catalase levels (1.67 ± 0.14 and 1.64 ± 0.13, respectively) compared to controls (2.63 ± 0.21), with statistical significance (p = 0.026). SOD and MDA levels varied across groups, although changes were not statistically significant.