IIARD International Institute of Academic Research and Development

JOURNAL OF BIOLOGY AND GENETIC RESEARCH (JBGR )

E-ISSN 2545-5710
P-ISSN 2695-222X
VOL. 11 NO. 1 2025
DOI: 10.56201/jbgr.vol.11.no1.2025.pg44.93

---

Evaluation of Genotoxicity and Antioxidant Defense System in the Brain of Clarias Gariepinus Exposed to Uproot, A Glyphosate Herbicide

Sogo Pere Clinton, Dr. E. Osioma

---

Abstract

Uproot, a glyphosate - based herbicide used to control weeds in farmlands may contaminate the aquatic habitat due to leaching and could pose a great risk to non – target aquatic organism like fish. This study evaluates the genotoxicity and antioxidant defense system in the brain of Clarias gariepinus exposed to Uproot, a glyphosate – based herbicide. Twenty juvenile Clarias gariepinus were divided into four groups (n = 5), with Group A (no glyphosate exposure); Groups B, C and D (30, 50 and 70 mg/L) of glyphosate exposure. Exposure to glyphosate lasted for 14 days. Fish were dissected and brain tissue was collected and analysed for some biochemical parameters and photomicrograph examinations using standard laboratory procedures. The results indicated that the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase and nitric oxide concentration were reduced (p < 0.05) in glyphosate exposed fish as compared with the control fish. A significant elevation (p < 0.05) was observed in the activities of glutathione peroxidase, acetylcholinesterase, myeloperoxidase, levels of reduced glutathione, malondialdehyde and percentage DNA fragmentation in glyphosate induced fish as compared with the control. Glyphosate exposed Clarias gariepinus had comparable (p > 0.05) concentration of thiol protein and glutathione s- transferase activity. An elevated (p < 0.05) total protein concentration was also observed in fish exposed to 50 mg/mL glyphosate as compared to the control. Histopathological examination of the brain tissues revealed degenerated neurons, altered stratum with no visible Purkinje cell nucleus in glyphosate fish as compared with the control. Together, the findings of this study showed that exposure to glyphosate impaired the activities of antioxidant enzymes and could also lead to genotoxicity. Thus, these biochemical parameters could be employed as biomarkers for environmental contamination of glyphosate herbicide.

keywords:

Glyphosate, Antioxidant defense, Clarias gariepinus, DNA fragmentation, Uproot

---

References:

Acquavalla, J.F., Lois, B.T., David, C.W., Jennifer, A.L., Alan, E.I., & David, R.R. (2004).
Glyphosate epidemiology expert panel: review of human of human carcinogenicity and
ecological risk assessment. Environmental Health Perspective, 112 (12), 1317-1321.
Adeyemi, J.A., Oyebamiji, A.O., Adewale, O.O., & Ugwuezunma, A.E. (2018). Oxidative stress
and antioxidant responses in Clarias gariepinus exposed to glyphosate. Environmental.
Toxicology and Pharmacology. 59, 143-151.
Ajala, O., Joshua, J., Hannah, O., Taofeek, O., Oyeronke, O., Morenikeji, A., Charles, A., &
Adewale, O. (2020). Dietary patterns and risk of dementia; systematic review and meta-
analysis. Neuropharmacology. 168, 108285.
Akintonwa, A., Ogunoye, A.S., Oladele, T.O., Ojo, A.H., & Adeneyi, O.R. (2018). Oxidative
stress and antioxidant responses in Clarias gariepinus exposed to glyphosate. Journal on
Environmental Science and Health, Part B, 53, 385-391.
Annett, R., Hbibi, H.R. & Hontela, A. (2014). Impact of glyphosate of glyphosate-based herbicide
on fresh water. Environment Journal. Applied Toxicol. 34; 458-479.
Ani, L.C., Nwamba, H.O., & Nwani, C.D. (2017). Acute toxicity of glyphosate herbicide
glyphosate on juvenile African catfish Clarias gariepinus. Journal of fisheries and
livestock production. 2: 1-4.
Bagchi, D., Bagchi, M., Hassoun, E.A. & Stohs, S.J. (1995). In-vitro and in-vivo generation of
reactive oxygen species, DNA damage and lactate dehydrogenase leakage by selected
pesticides. Toxicology. 104 (1-3); 129-140.
Banaee, M., Shahafve, S., Vaziriyan, M., Taheri, S. & Nemadoost, H.B. (2016). Effect of sewage
effluent on blood biochemical parameters of common carp (Cyprinscarpio); A case study
of Behbhan, Khuzestan province. Journal Chemistry and Health Risk. 6(3). 161-176.
Battaglin, W.A., & Alan, K. (2014). Glyphosate and its degradation product AMPA in US Rivers
and streams. Environmental Science and Technology, 48 (19), 10381-10389.
Bhatia SC. Environmental chemistry. In: Man and environment. New Delhi: CBS
Publishers, 2002.
Bolognesi, C., Perrone, E., & Roggieri, P. (2006). Genotoxic effect of glyphosate in mollusks.
Environmental and Molecular Mutagenesis. 47, 624-633.



Bols, N.C., Bubacher, J.L., Ganassi, S., Lee, L. E.I. & Baries, D.A. (2007). Fish cell lines; a model
for toxicological studies. In-vitro cellular and Developmental Biology, Animal, 45 (5),
221-225.
Bols, N.C., Leigh, C., Jennifer, L., James, D., Lucy, M., & Glen, R. (2011). Development and
characterization of cell lines from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) liver, spleen and
gut. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part C. 154 (2), 161-174.
Bradley, P.P., Priebat, D.A., Christensen, R.D. and Rothstein, G. (1982). Measurement of
cutaneous inflammation: Estimation of neutrophil content with an enzyme marker.
Journal Investigative Dermatology. 78: 206 – 209.
Bruce, A., Joseph, M., & Edith, Y. (1975). Methods for detecting carcinogens and mutagens with
the Salmonella/mammalian-microsome mutagenicity test. Mutat Res. 31(6), 347-364.
Buege, J.A. & Aust, S.D. (1978). Microsomal lipid peroxidation. Methods Enzymology 52: 302 –
Cadet, I., Jean, C., Toshio, M., Didier, B., Murat, S., Vladimir, A., Mark, F.W., Arthur, K.A., &
Sagar, V.P. (2015). Oxidative stress and DNA damage in neurodegenerative diseases.
Journal of Alzheimer’s disease. 46 (4), 851-866.
Calabrese, E.J., & Baldwin, L.A. (2001). Hormesis: Non-monotonic dose response. Annual Review
of Pharmacology and Toxicology. 41, 131-144.
Cattaneo, A., Giovani, B., Marina, B.,Michel, J., Valentina, G., Sandro, I.,Christina, F.,Federica,
A., & Andrea, F. (2017). Association of brain amyloid burden with cognitive decline in
individuals with normal cognition and mild cognitive impairment. Neurology. 89 (12),
1275-1283.
Cattani, D., HeinZ Cesconetto, P., Tavares, M.K., Sartoratto, P.C., Reibeiro, J.R., Glanzman, B.
& Zamoner, A. (2017). Glyphosate exposure causes neurotoxicity in rat. EnvironmentalS.
Health Perspective. 125 (1), 45-53.
Cavas, T. (2011). Genotoxicity of glyphosate in aquatic organisms. Journal of Environmental.
Science and Health. Part B. 46, 632-641.
Cavas, T., Gunes, S., Kuzu, D., & Sutleoglu, S. (2015). DNA fragmentation in fish (Mugil
cephalus) exposed to pesticides. Journal of Environmental Science and Research. 22 (19),
14541-14548.
Chen, J., Liu, Y., Wang, Y., & Zhang, J. (2022). Glyphosate alters swimming behavior and social
interaction in gold fish (Carassius auratus). Environmental Science and Pollution
Research. 29 (11), 16531-16541.
Cigo, A.J.D., Siqueire, A.F., Ramos, A.C., Cruz, Z.M.A. & Silva A.G. (2009). Utilizacao de
enzimas do esterase oxidative como biomarccadoras de impactos ambietais. Natureza on
line. 7; 37-42.



Cooke,M.S., Evans, M.D., Herbert, K.E., & Lunec, J. (2003). Oxidative DNA Damage:
Mechanisms, Mutation, and Disease. FASEB Journal 17 (10), 1195-1214.
Costa, L.G. (2016). Toxic effects of pesticides on the nervous system. Neurotoxicol. 58, 85-93.
Dainane, F., Adriana, C.D., Luis, C.K., Candida, T.,Vannia, L.L., & Leonado, J.G.B. (2010).
Assessment of oxidative stress in Rhamdia quelen exposed to agrichemical. Journal of
Environmental Toxicology.3 (1), 914-919
Diego, M.J., Maria, J.G.G., Rodrigo, S., Mirta, M., Maria,A. Daniel, E., & Fermando, G. (2013).
Fish toxicity of commercial herbicide formulated with glyphosate. J Environ Anal
Toxicol. 2 (1), 2-4
Dey, S., Samanta, P., Pal, S., Mukherjee, A.K., Kole, D., & Gosh, A.R. (2016). Integrative
assessment of biomarker response in teleosteam fishes exposed to glyphosate-based
herbicide (Excel Mera 71). Emerg Contam. 2:191-203.
Doumas, B.T., Bayse, D.D., Carter, R.J., Peters Jr, T. & Schaffer, R. (1981). A candidate reference
method for determination of total protein in serum. 1. Development and validation.
Clinical Chemistry. 27 (10), 1642 – 1650.
Duke, S.O. & Powels, S.B. (2008). Glyphosate: a once-in-a-century herbicide. Pest. Management
Science 64: 319-325.
Duke, S.O. Baerson, S.R., Rimando, A.M., & Schefler, B.E. (2003). Glyphosate effect on plant
amino acid biosynthesis. J. Agric. and Food Chem. 51 (15), 4541-4549.
Duncan, K. & Wohlhueter, R.M. (1987). Glyphosaye inhibits EPSP Synthases. Plant physiology,
85 (3), 928-933.
Ellman, G.L., Courtney, K.D., Andres, V.J. and Featherstone, R.M. (1961) A new and rapid
colorimetric determination of acetylcholinesterase activity. Biochem. Pharmacol. 7: 88 -
95
Ellman, G.L. (1959) Tissue sulfhydryl groups. Arch Biochem. Biophys 82: 70 - 77.
Fafioye, O.O.,Oyebamiji, A.O., & Adewale, O.O. (2017). Acute toxicity of glyphosate based
herbicide on Clarias gariepinus. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part B, 52
(2), 121-128.
Flohe, L. and Grunzler, W.A. (1984). Assays of Glutathione peroxidase. Methods Enzymol. 105:
114 – 121.
Franz, J.E., Mao, M.K., & Sikorski, J.A. (1997).Glyphosate; A unique herbicide. J. Agric. and
Food Chem. 45 (10), 3237-3242.



Giesy, J. P., Dobson, S., & Solomon, K. R. (2008).Ecotoxicological risk assessment for Roundup
herbicide. Review of Env. Contam. And Toxicol. 167, 35-37.
Glusczak, L., dos Santos Miron, D., Moraes, B.S., Simoes, R.R., Schetinger, M.R.C., & Morsc,
V.M. (2007). Acute effects of glyphosate on oxidative stress parameters and antioxidant
defenses of neotropical fish Prochilodus lineatus. Comparative biochemistry and
physiology, Part C. Toxicol. And Pharm., 146 (3), 295-302.
Gonzalez-Marin, C., Gutirrez-Cruz, B.S., Robbison, T.E., & Williams, S.R. (2012). Whole
chromosome loss and gain in human germ line cells is associated with early genomic
instability. PLOS Genetics 8 (18), e1003075.
Goss, S.P., Hogg, N., O Leary, V.J., Wilson, M.T. & Moncada, S. (1997). Effect of nitric oxide
release rates on the oxidation of human low lipoprote

DOWNLOAD PDF

---

Back