Summary: Pesticides are one of the most potent environmental contaminants, which accumulate in biotic and abiotic components of ecosystems. Acetamiprid (Acm), a neonicotinoid insecticide, and Propineb (Pro), a dithiocarbamate fungicide, are widely used to control sucking insects and fungal infections on crops, respectively. The present study was undertaken to investigate the genotoxic effects of these compounds, individually and in mixtures, in mouse germ cells by using the sperm morphology assay. Mice were injected intraperitoneally with 0.625, 1.25, and 2.50 μg mL^-1 of Acm, 12.5, 25, and 50 μg mL^-1 of Pro, and their mixture at the same concentrations over 24 and 48 h. Acm did not significantly increase the percentage of abnormal sperm at any concentration. The frequency of abnormal sperm significantly increased after 24 and 48 h of exposure to 50 μg mL^-1 of Pro. The mixtures of 2.50 μg mL^-1 of Acm and 50 μg mL^-1 of Pro induced sperm abnormalities antagonistically both after 24 and 48 h of exposure. Results suggest that Acm was non-genotoxic for mouse germ cells, while Pro may have been a germ cell mutagen due to the observed increase in the frequency of sperm abnormalities. However, to gain better insight into the mutagenicity and DNA damaging potential of both of these pesticides, further studies at molecular level should be done.

In this study, morphotoxic and cytogenotoxic potency of trade formulation of Propineb were analyzed using Allium cepa assay. The root tips were treated wit

Propineb, a dithiocarbamate fungicide, is commonly used for the control of disease in a wide range of crops in agriculture. The genotoxic effects of commercial formulation of propineb in bone marrow...

Rhododendron honey is a monofloral honey and it is collected from the flowers of Rhododendron species widely spreading over many countries, mainly in America, Turkey, Indonesia, Australia. It is belived that Rhododendron honey treats several disorders and is used traditionally as an alternative medicine. The determination of the chemical characteristics of the Rhododendron honey is essential for public health. In this research, the physicochemical characteristics of Rhododendron, chestnut and flower honey samples collected from beekeepers in Turkey were determined and compared. Physico-chemical parameters such as moisture, acidity, sucrose, invert sugar, fructose/glucose, conductivity, diastase and hydroxymethylfurfural were analysed in each honey sample. According to the results obtained, no differences were found in physico-chemical properties of Rhododendron, honey samples, except from moisture and acidity compared with those of chestnut and flower honeys. In order to differentiate Rhododendron honeys, new methods should be developed. This honey should be reintroduced to medicine and used in pharmaceutical industry