Abstract
Background: Few published studies are reported for reproductive and neurobehavioral toxicity of combined exposure to neonicotinoid insecticides and synergists in mammals. This study aimed to evaluate the reproductive and neurobehavioral effects of combined dinotefuran (DIN) and piperonyl butoxide (PBO) in an F1-generation toxicity study in mice.
Methods: DIN and PBO were given in the diet to provide levels of 0% (control), DIN 0.012%, PBO 0.012%, and DIN 0.012% + PBO 0.012% from five weeks of age of the F0 generation to 11 weeks of age of the F1 generation in mice. Selected reproductive and neurobehavioral parameters were measured in the F1 generation.
Results: At birth, litter size significantly increased in the DIN and PBO groups, and litter weight significantly increased in the DIN, PBO, and DIN+PBO groups. The total sex ratio (male/female) significantly increased in the PBO group. The average body weight of male and female offspring indicated no difference in all groups during the lactation period. For the movement activity of spontaneous behavior from nine to ten weeks of age in the F1 generation, the parallel lines of the control and treatment groups indicated a significant distance in the average time of movement in males. In females, the average time of movement through 120 min significantly shortened in the DIN group.
Conclusions: The dose level of DIN/PBO in the present study had little effect on reproductive and neurobehavioral parameters in mice. The dose level of PBO based on ADI may not have shown a synergistic effect on DIN exposure.
