Effects of diazinon at different doses on rat liver and pancreas tissues

Diazinon is one of the most widely used organophosphates in agriculture. Toxic effects of diazinon are due to the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme needed for proper nervous system function. This study was designed to investigate the effects of diazinon at different doses on pancreas and liver tissues and in which dose level diazinon shows its effects. Sixty male Wistar albino rats were included in this study. Animals were initially divided into control and diazinon given groups. There were 10 animals in the control group and 50 animals in diazinon administered group. The latter was divided into five equal subgroups: 25, 50, 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg of diazinon administered groups. Control group was given only saline. All animals in 300 mg/kg diazinon group died. After 24 h, rats were sacrificed under ether anesthesia. Tissue and blood samples were taken for biochemical and histopathological analysis. Sample tissues were examined under light microscope. In biochemical analysis, AST, ALT, LDH, amylase and lipase enzyme activities were measured. One-way ANOVA test was used to compare the groups. In 200 mg/kg diazinon given group, it has been observed some histopathological changes in pancreas and liver tissues. Cholinesterase activities were significantly decreased and alkaline phosphatase levels were increased in all diazinon given groups, when compared with the controls. There was statistically significant difference between the control and diazinon given groups by means of serum amylase, lipase, ALT and AST activities (p < 0.05). LDH activities were significantly increased in 100 and 200 mg diazinon given groups, when compared with the controls (p < 0.05). Histopathological changes were observed only in 200 mg diazinon given group. This evidence suggest that diazinon effect is dose dependent and this is possibly 10-15% of the LD₅₀ dose (200 mg/kg), which cause acute pancreatitis and histopathological changes in liver.     

Effects of Suni Bug (Eurygaster spp.) Damage on Milling Properties and Semolina Quality of Durum Wheats (Triticum durum L.)

Economic losses due to suni‐bug (Eurygaster spp. and Aelia spp.) damage are important for the cereal industry in East European and Middle East countries. Samples of five durum wheat cultivars (Diyarbakir, Firat, Ege, Svevo, and Zenith) with zero, medium, and high levels of suni‐bug damage were used to determine the effects of suni‐bug damage on milling properties and semolina quality. As the damage level increased, semolina yields of all cultivars decreased significantly. The loss of semolina yield was greater than decreases in total yield of semolina plus flour, indicating that semolina yields were affected to a higher extent than were flour yields. The ash contents of the semolina samples increased significantly in all cultivars with increasing suni‐bug damage. The falling number values were not correlated with suni‐bug damage level and amylase activities of all samples were quite low. The pasting properties did not differ to a great extent depending on the suni‐bug damage level. Gluten quality of semolina samples substantially deteriorated as suni‐bug damage level increased, as determined by SDS‐sedimentation and mixograph analyses. It was concluded that suni‐bug damage would decrease profits of durum wheat millers substantially by affecting semolina yield and quality.     

Effects of suni-bug (Eurygaster spp.) damage on semolina properties and spaghetti quality characteristics of durum wheats (Triticum durum L.)

Effects of suni-bug (Eurygaster spp.) damage on semolina properties and spaghetti quality characteristics of durum wheats (Triticum durum L.) were investigated. The semolinas obtained from sound (control), medium damage (around 20%) and high damage (around 40%) samples of five durum wheat cultivars (cvs. Diyarbakir, Firat, Ege, Svevo and Zenith) were processed into spaghetti. As the bug damage level increased, Glutograph stretch values of all cultivars decreased significantly probably due to deteriorative effects of bug damage on gluten quality. Glutograph relaxation values and gluten spread values of the damaged samples were considerably higher compared to those of sound samples in all cultivars, due to proteolytic degradation. The breaking force of the uncooked spaghetti samples decreased significantly with increasing bug damage level indicating that they were susceptible to breakage and not suitable for handling, packaging and shipment. Panel tests indicated significant deterioration in sensory properties (stickiness, firmness and bulkiness) generally at the medium damage level.