Abstract
This study was carried out to investigate cytotoxicity of several herbicides (Bentazone, Butachlor. Paraquat and Ethalfluralin) in cultured mouse NIH 3T3 fibroblasts. Tetrazolium (MTT), neutral red (NR) and sulforhodamine protein B (SRB) of the colorimetric assays were performed to evaluate the cytotoxicity on cell organelles. 2 x 10$^4$cell/$m\ell$ of NIH 3T3 fibroblast in each well of 24 multidish were cultured. After 24 hours, the cells were treated with solution (1, 25, 50 or 100 $\mu$M) of each herbicide. After the NIH 3T3 fibroblasts of all groups were cultured in the same condition for 48 hours, MTT, NR and SRB assays were performed to evaluate the cytotoxicity. The light microscopic study was carried out to examine morphological changes of cultured NIH 3T3 fibroblasts. The MTT$_{50}$ of Bentazone, Butachlor, Paraquat and Ethalfluralin were 1560.97 $\mu$M, 56.15 $\mu$M, 3138.81 $\mu$M and 1301.82 $\mu$M, respectively. The NR$_{50}$ of Bentazone, Butachlor. Paraquat and Ethalfluralin were 1763.93 $\mu$M, 45.98 $\mu$M, 1030.85 $\mu$M and 1808.29 $\mu$M, respectively. The SRB$_{50}$ of Bentazone, Butachlor. Paraquat and Ethalfluralin were 1913.38 $\mu$M, 65.30 $\mu$M, 1860.73 $\mu$M and 1086.93 $\mu$M, respectively. The morphological changes of NIH 3T3 fibroblasts showed severe degeneration in Butachlor 50 $\mu$M and 100 $\mu$M concentrations. These results indicate that Butachlor has high cytotoxicity, Bentazone, Paraquat and Ethalfluralin very weak cytotoxicity against NIH 3T3 fibroblasts.lasts.
