Sains Ma1aysiana 26(1): 103-109 (1997)                                                                                     Sains Hayat/

                                                                                                                                                                 Life Sciences

Some Studies into the Effects of Metaldehyde

on Cultured Cells

Salmijah Surif, Anita Mohd. Zubir & Maimon Abdullah

Jabatan Biokimia dan Jabatan Zoologi

Fakulti Sains Hayat, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

UKM Bangi 43600 Selangor D.E. Malaysia

ABSTRACT

Metaldehyde is used widely in Malaysia for the control of molluscs. This communication reports the cytotoxic effects of this chemical on cultured cells as assessed by cell morphology and the DNA synthesing capability as well as its transport into cells. After 15 days of exposure with 20.0 ppm of the compound, the DNA synthesising capability was shown to be unaffected. The IC₅₀ for Vero cells was 276.0 ppm. Transport of thymidine across cells was found to be not significantly affected even at high metaldehyde concentrations (up to 320.0 ppm) suggesting integrity of cells were not significantly affected. The present cellular studies have therefore shown that the cytotoxic effects of this chemical is rather low.

ABSTRAK

Metaldehida digunakan dengan meluas di Malaysia untuk mengawal perosak moluska. Kesan sitotoksik bahan kimia ini di peringkat sel dari segi ciri-ciri perubahan moifologi dan keupayaan mensintesis DNA serta kajian awal kesannya terhadap proses kemasukan ke dalam sel dilaporkan di sini. Keupayaan mensintesis DNA didapati tidak terjejas secara signifikan selepas diberikan 20.0 ppm metaldehida secara berterusan selama 15 hari. Nilai IC₅₀ bagi sel Vero adalah 276.0 ppm. Kemasukan timidina ke dalam sel tidak terjejas secara signifikan apabila sel diperlakukan dengan metaldehida, walaupun pada kepekatan yang agak tinggi iaitu sehingga 320.0 ppm. Kajian telah menunjukkan bahawa kesan sitotoksik oleh metaldehida adalah rendah.

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