COMPARATIVE BIOREMEDIAL EFFECT OF WITHANIA SOMNIFERA AND CURCUMA LONGA ON OVARIES OF PESTICIDE INDUCED MICE

Ranjit Kumar*, Md. Ali, Arun Kumar and Vibha Gahlot

ABSTRACT

Since last two decades, the phyto-remediation for pesticide borne diseases has remained a matter of great challenge. Pesticides are commonly used for protection of crops from different pests. Now a day’s organophosphates are commonly used pesticide. Some of the pesticides persist in the environment and also bio-accumulate into different organisms. The present work is designed to study the bioremedial effect of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) and Curcuma longa (Turmeric) on ovaries of Chlorpyrifos exposed Swiss albino mice. The end point of bioremedial effect is measured by restoration of estrogen and cholesterol levels. The treatment groups received Chlorpyrifos at 6mg/kg b.w./day by Gavage method for eight weeks followed by eight weeks administration of alcoholic root extract of Withania somnifera and rhizome extract of Curcuma longa separately at the dose of 50mg/kg b.w./day. Chlorpyrifos administered groups showed increased level of Estrogen and Cholesterol. Withania and Curcuma treated groups showed restoration in Estrogen and Cholesterol levels. Restoration of Cholesterol level is more in Withania treated group while Curcuma treated group restores Estrogen level significantly. Ovaries of Chlorpyrifos administered groups showed degenerated germinal epithelium, Graafian follicles and corpus luteum. Withania treated group showed more restoration in germinal epithelium, Graafian follicles and corpus luteum than Curcuma treated group comparatively. Thus it is evident from the study that Withania somnifera plays effective role against Chlorpyrifos induced toxicity on biochemical, hormonal and histology of ovary in comparison to Curcuma longa.

Keywords: Chlorpyrifos, Graafian follicle, Estrogen, Cholesterol.