Experimental studies on insecticides commonly used in India

Using hexachlorocyclohexane (BHC) as a model histopathological, histoenzymological, biochemical, and electrophoretic studies were undertaken to find out certain parameters for early diagnosis of liver cancer. In addition, cytogenetic studies were carried out to evaluate the effect of BHC feeding on mitotic and meiotic divisions. The results of these investigations suggest that there is a significant change in liver weight in experimental group. Histologically, liver cells follow a definite sequential cellular alteration ultimately leading to liver tumor. Histochemically, well defined pattern of glycogen accumulation and iron distribution in hepatocytes was observed. The electron-microscopic observation demonstrated prominently the proliferation of agranular endoplasmic reticulum in early stages. The distribution of certain enzymes linked with plasma membrane, lysosomes, and mitochondria showed the functional alteration of these organelles both in neoplastic nodules and tumours induced by BHC. The biochemical changes observed in gluconeogenic enzymes (G6Pase and F1,6dipase) and dehydrogenases (LDH, ICDH, and MDH) at different duration of exposure to BHC indicated decrease in enzyme activity of both gluconeogenic pathway and tricarboxylic acid cycle, linked with energy metabolism. These changes tend to recover with discontinuation of BHC but 8 months continuous feeding produces irreversible changes in G6Pase activity. Using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis technique a change in serum proteins and LDH isoenzymes was observed. However, extrapolation of these findings to human situation needs more extensive studies, taking into account all possible variables, such as the DDT and BHC load in our environment and the body burden resulting there from.