Protective role of ascorbic acid and vitamin B-complex against pesticide-induced clastogeny in bone marrow cells of mice.

Concurrent administration for one week of vitamins B-Complex (0.3 ml of 1% Polybion) or ascorbic acid (0.25 ml of 1% Redoxon, to 8-week old albino swiss mice, Mus musculus along with organophosphorous pesticide Malathion or carbamate pesticide Rogor (both 1 microliters/kg b.wt.) could significantly decrease the chromosome-clastogeny rate induced by the pesticides alone in the metaphase chromosomes of bonemarrow cells. The vitamins were not clastogenic, whereas the Malathion proved to be clastogenic four-times and Rogor six-times more than the control rate. The vitamins seem to reduce the incidence of fragmentation and subsequent rearrangements induced by the pesticides. On the basis of the available literature, it is presumed that the vitamins might be preventing the formation of mutagenic lipid conjugates of biometabolised forms of the pesticides.