K. Husain et al., PARTIAL PROTECTION BY DEXAMETHASONE AGAINST MIPAFOX-INDUCED DELAYED NEUROTOXICITY IN HENS, Asia Pacific journal of pharmacology, 9(1), 1994, pp. 7-12
The protective effect of dexamethasone against mipafox-induced delayed
neurotoxicity in hens was investigated. Birds treated with Mipafox (1
0.0 mg kg(-1), s.c.) daily for 10 days developed severe ataxia. There
was inhibition of neurotoxic esterase (NTE) in the brain, spinal cord
and platelets, and inhibition of platelet acetylcholinesterase (AChE).
Axonal degeneration in the spinal cord was observed 14 days after the
start of exposure. A lower dose of dexamethasone (0.5 mg kg(-1), i.m.
) daily for 10 days reduced the behavioural, biochemical and histopath
ological changes, whereas higher dose (5.0 mg kg(-1), i.m.) daily for
10 days aggravated the changes induced by mipafox in hens. Dexamethaso
ne alone at the lower dose did not cause behavioural and histopatholog
ical changes except increased NTE and decreased AChE activities. Howev
er, the higher dose alone caused weakness and loss of body weight, dec
reased NTE and AChE activities and with certain histopathological chan
ges. The study suggests that dexamethasone may partially protect the h
ens against mipafox-induced delayed neurotoxicity.