The genotoxic effects of acetamiprid and alpha-cypermethrin pesticides separately and in mixture on human peripheral lymphocytes in vitro

The aim of this study was to investigate the genotoxic effects of acetamiprid (Acm) and alpha-cypermethrin (A-cyp) separately and in mixtures, which have been increasingly used as an insecticide in agriculture, on human peripheral lymphocytes by using sister chromatid exchange (SCE), chromosomal aberrations (CA) and micronucleus (MN) tests. Cells were treated separately with 25, 30, 35, 40 ?g/ml Acm; 5, 10, 15, 20 ?g/ml A-cyp and using mixture with half of these doses for 24 and 48 hrs In this study, Acm significantly increased the SCE and the CA at all doses and the MN formation at 30, 35, 40 ?g/ml for 24 and 48 hr treatment times. Acm significantly decreased the mitotic index (MI) and the nuclear division index (NDI) significantly at all doses and treatment times. Furthermore, the proliferation index (PI) was significantly decreased by Acm at 35, 40 ?g/ml for 24 hr and 40 ?g/ml for 48 hr periods. A-cyp significantly increased the SCE and the CA at all doses and treatment times. However, the MN formation was significantly increased by A-cyp at 5, 10 ?g/ml (binuclear cells could not be scored adequately at 15 and 20 ?g/ml). Acyp decreased the MI, NBI at all doses and PI at high three doses of A-cyp. Mixtures of Acm+A-cyp were determined to be genotoxic for humans as much as or more than when pesticides were treated separately. Key words: Acetamiprid, Alpha-cypermethrin, Sister Chromatid Exchange, Chromosomal Aberration, Micronucleus