Toxicological studies on topsin m70 used to control white mold disease on cucumber

Topsin M70 (thiophanate-methyl 70%) is recommended in Egypt to control many plant diseases such as root rot, powdery mildew, and fruits rot on different crops such as strawberry, mango, panama, apple, and grape. Latterly it was found to be superior to control cucumber stem and fruit white mold. Fungicide residues have been found on food for human consumption, mostly from post-harvest treatments all over the world. Cucumber fruits have short shelf life time and most of cucumber production is eaten fresh, or in salad. It was important to assess the risks of long term consumption of cucumber fruits contaminated with thiophanate-methyl specially their possible effect on liver functions and blood picture. In this respect, two groups of rats were fed with two concentrations of cucumber contaminated with the fungicide and the data were compared with third group which was fed on clean diet.The tests showed higher level of each of Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST) Alkaline phosphates ((ALP) enzymes at both fungicide concentrations. Albumin content was decreased and in turn, total protein was decreased. On the contrary, increasing concentrations of cholesterol was recorded. As for red blood cell count (RBC), HCT and blood platelets they decreased. On the other hand white blood cells distractedly increased; the white blood cells increase side by side with the decreasing of the red blood cells invoke the suspicion that thiophanate methyl can badly affect bone marrow and/or has carcinogenic effect which may cause leukemia.