Abstract

Mancozeb, manganese ethylene-bis-dithiocarbamate with zinc salts, is one of the most commonly used fungicides in the United States. Epidemiological and experimental data showed that mancozeb causes detrimental effects on various organ systems including the reproductive, endocrine, immune, and central nervous system. Increasing evidence has shown a strong association between pesticides and neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we examined the neurotoxic potential of mancozeb in rat hippocampal astrocytes. The cytotoxicity of mancozeb was found to be dose dependent and recovery studies showed that cells exposed to mancozeb for 1 h did not recover from mancozeb-induced insult. Atomic absorption data showed a significant accumulation of manganese in astrocytes after 1 h of treatment. This study further investigated whether various chelators and antioxidants could prevent mancozeb-induced cytotoxicity. Our data reported that butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) was the most effective agent in protecting against mancozeb insult. BHT also increased total cellular antioxidants of astrocytes after 1-h mancozeb exposure. In summary, this study reported for the first time that the manganese portion of mancozeb might be, at least in part, responsible for the toxicity. Mancozeb-induced cytotoxicity in astroyctes can be protected by BHT and that this antioxidant increased the total cellular antioxidant capacity.