Evaluation of the Effect of Azoxystrobin on DNA Damage in Human Peripheral Lymphocytes, Dependent on Dose and Duration

Abstract

Objective Azoxystrobin (AZO), one of the most widely used fungicides in agriculture, may exert genotoxic effects that could pose potential risks to human health. This study aimed to evaluate the genotoxic effects of exposure to azoxystrobin at different durations and concentrations in human lymphocyte cells using the Comet assay. Material and Method Lymphocyte cells from eight individuals were isolated by centrifugation. AZO was applied at three different concentrations (10 μM, 50 μM, and 100 μM) for three durations (one, two, or four hours) to each sample. The samples were analyzed using the Comet assay technique and imaged with a fluorescence microscope on slides. Fifty cells per slide were analyzed using OpenComet software. One-way ANOVA was performed on the results. Results The group treated with 50 μM AZO for one hour exhibited a statistically significant increase in DNA damage compared to groups treated with 50 μM AZO for two and four hours (p < 0.05). While there was no statistical significance at the 10 and 100 μM application doses, an increase in DNA damage was observed compared to the negative control group. At the 100 μM dose, a decrease in damage was observed in terms of the average tail DNA percentage at each hour of application. Conclusion AZO was shown to potentially increase DNA damage depending on the dose and time, but further studies are needed.

Keywords

• Azoxystrobin
• DNA damage
• Fungicide

Supporting Institution

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-forprofit sectors.

Ethical Statement

The study was approved by the Health Sciences Ethics Committee of Süleyman Demirel University Faculty of Medicine (Date: 21-11-2024, Decision No: 14).

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