The Study of the Effects of Diazinon on Histomorphometrical Changes of Hippocampus in the Balb/c Mouse Embryo

Diazinon is an organophosphorus pesticide that is broadly used in agriculture. This toxic material is absorbed via inhalation, skin contact, or digestion and affects different tissues. The goal of this study was therefore to evaluate the diazinon effect on histomorphometrical changes of hippocampus in the small laboratory Balb/c mouse embryo. Twenty-five adult laboratory female Balb/c mice were equally divided into five groups of 5. The control group received no diazinon. The sham A and B groups received emulsifier at doses of 0/52 and 5.2 microliter in volume unit (5000cm3 in desiccator), respectively, and the experimental groups A and B received inhaled diazinon at doses of 1/3 and 13 microliter in the volume unit, respectively from day 7 until 18 of gestation every other day. The mice were killed on gestation day 18 and the embryos were removed from the animal's body and examined in terms of the appearance. After the embryos were fixed and processed, the 5-micrometer sections were stained using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) technique and the histomorphometric changes of the hippocampus were investigated. The mean thickness of various hippocampus layers of CA1, CA2, and CA3 decreased in experimental groups A and B. The mean number of cells count in different layers of hippocampus and dentate gyrus increased in experimental groups A and B. Diazinon inhalation at high doses (13 microliters in volume unit) seems to be able to cause histological changes in the evolution process of hippocampus in pregnant mice.