Protective Effects of Aloe Vera Extract Administiration against Trifluralin in Drosophila melanogaster with Various Parameters

Abstract

Pesticides are toxic chemicals used to control pests, plant diseases, or undesirable vegetation. Trifluralin (TRF), causing toxicity and mutagenicity, is a dinitroaniline class herbicide used to control undesirable vegetation in agriculture. Aloe vera is a widely used plant having rich gel content and a wide area of utilization. The present study aims to investigate the protective effect of Aloe vera on Drosophila melanogaster toxicity caused by TRF. For this purpose, life span, larval toxicity, and genotoxicity tests were performed on D. melanogaster administered with concentration of TRF (0.1 mM) and Aloe vera (2.5%, 5% and 10%). The results showed that life span was improved in the female and male populations when TRF and Aloe vera was administered (2.5%, 5% and 10%). Furthermore, the larval toxicity experiment showed that TRF decreased the survival rate of larvae; however, TRF and Aloe vera (10%) increased it at the highest concentration. According to the Comet Assay, TRF was found to cause an increase in the DNA damage; on the other hand, when D. melanogaster was administered with TRF and Aloe vera, the DNA damage decreased gradually in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, Aloe vera could be a good candidate to reduce the harmful effects of TRF, one of the most used herbicides.