Histological study of the liver of rats consuming genetically modified soybean, processed with herbicide “Roundup”

Introduction. In last years the genetically modified plants have been widely used in agriculture, as well as in the food industry. The use of “Roundup” herbicide in the world increases every year, so there is a great warning as to its impact on the health of humans and animals.
Purpose. The aim of the paper is to evaluate histopathological changes in the liver of two generations of rats under the influence of “Roundup” herbicide and transgenic glyphosate-resistant soya treated with this herbicide.
Results. The subject of the study were the male rats of the Vistar line at the age of 4 months weighing 180-200 g. Experimental animals were grouped into 5 groups of 14 rats in each (7 females and 7 males). Group I – intact animals (kept on a standard vivarium diet); Group II – animals, which had up to 20-26% of the standard diet replaced with traditional soya; Group III – rats up with to 20-26% of the standard diet replaced with genetically modified soybeans not treated with herbicide “Roundup”; Group ІV – rats, whose ration contained up to 20-26% of genetically modified soybean, treated with herbicide “Roundup”; Group V – rats that received used “Roundup” herbicide with drinkable water at a concentration (0.003 μg / kg of animal weight).
After 42 days of keeping to a respective diet rates were mated and after 22-25 days the next generation was obtained (F1). After giving birth to offspring, all females continued to receive the same diet and the herbicide with water as (F1) generation. At the age of 12 months, the rats were decapitated and sampling of liver fragments for histological test was performed. In the liver of the first generation rats, fed with genetically modified soya processed with the herbicide, discomplexation of lamellar structure, as well as cloudy degeneration of hepatocytes. The same condition was observed in rats that consumed the herbicide with drinkable water. Degenerative changes of hepatocytes aggravated in the second generation.

Conclusions. Histological analysis of the liver of rats of all experimental groups of two generations showed that the most dystrophic changes are observed in the liver of rats which ate genetically modified soya treated with the herbicide and of rats which consumed the herbicide with drinking water. In the next generation, an increase in dystrophic changes in hepatocytes is observed. Microscopic changes indicate the energy load and intensification of detoxification processes by these cells.