Effets physiopathologiques des mélanges de pesticides

Pesticides are considered as risk factors for human health. Indeed, epidemiological studies often show a positive correlation between occupational exposure and the risk of developing diseases for users and/or their descendants. The exposure of the general population is different from the exposure of professionals. Indeed, the consumer is exposed through the diet to mixtures of pesticides at low doses and during a long-term period. Now the question raised is what may be the impact of such an exposure on the health of consumers or their descendants. The hypothesis that compounds at doses corresponding to their No Observable Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL), which act via different mechanisms of action, could not exert an effect even when they are present in combination is today rebutted. Studies on endocrine disrupters or on pesticides mixture in general, as we develop in our laboratory, show that the effects of mixtures cannot be predicted from the effect of the single molecule. The effects of mixtures can be cumulative, antagonistic, additive or synergistic depending on the function or the parameter of the studied physiological function. Even if it is difficult to evaluate experimentally all possible combinations to which consumers may be exposed, it is essential to evaluate the effects of representative mixtures for a better understanding of the risk assessment of consumers.