ABSTRACT. Introduction. Carbendazim is a systemic benzimidazole fungicide rated as a possible human carcinogen.
In Ukraine, over 20 carbendazim-based preparative forms of fungicides, predominantly generics, are registered, therefore, oncogenicity study of carbendazim from different manufacturers is of immediate interest.
Objective of the paper is to identify carcinogenicity of 98 % technical carbendazim under conditions of chronic experiment in mice
Methods. A total of 280 male and 280 female CBA mice were included in the study. Carbendazim was intragastrically administered in these animals for 18 months 5 times per week via a gastric tube at the doses of 0, 5, 25 and 75 mg/kg body weight as 0, 0.1, 0.5 and 1.5 % ex tempore prepared a suspension. Dead as well as sacrificed animals according to the experimental schedule were subjected to autopsy. Carcinogenicity was assessed using direct effect parameters — tumour ratio and their latent period.
Results and Discussion. Clinical parameters of the condition of experimental animals, survival and incidence of premalignancy did not differ from those in the control animals. The main cause of death in animals throughout the study were non-specific intercurrent diseases developed with approximately the same rate in the experimental and control group. Tumour incidence (n = 37) in experimental and control groups did not statistically differ and complied with the spontaneous level in CBA mice.
Conclusion. Incidence of tumours, their histological structure, location and latent period in experimental animals on carbendazim at the dose of 5, 25 and 75 mg/kg did not differ from those in the control group. Thus, the experimental study of carbendazim in CBA mice after intragastric administration for 78 weeks did not reveal the carcinogenic potential of the substance.
Key Words: pesticides, carbendazim, carcinogenicity, mice.
Identification of carbendazim carcinogenicity: experimental study in cba mice СВА мice