Cytogenetic and hematological alterations induced by acute oral exposure of imidacloprid in female mice

Imidacloprid (IMD), 1(6-chloro-3-pyridinyl)methyl)-N-nitro-2-imidazolidinimine, was administered in female mice to study in vivo cytogenetic (chromosomal aberrations (CAs) and micronucleus assay) and hematological effects. The acute oral LD₅₀ was determined to be 150?mg/kg bw in mice following OECD guidelines using AOT StatPgm425 software. The mice were administered orally with distilled water (negative control); mitomycin C (MMC), 1?mg/kg (positive control) and sub-lethal doses of 37.5 (low), 75.0 (medium) and 112.5 (high) mg/kg bw (25%, 50% and 75% of LD₅₀) of IMD to analyze CAs and hematological effects after 24?h, whereas micronucleus test (MT) after 48?h. The genotoxicity analysis revealed that selected test doses of IMD – medium and high doses – induced significantly mitotic inhibition (p?p?p?p?p?p?p?p?r?=?0.98) of IMD. Precautions should be taken to minimize possible risk to exposed farmers of the state of Haryana (India) – an agrarian economy.