Effect of zinc on erythrocyte osmotic fragility and hemogram following chronic exposure to glyphosate-based herbicide in Wistar rats

The study was conducted to assess the effect of zinc on erythrocyte osmotic fragility and hemogram of rats following chronic oral exposure to glyphosate-based herbicide (BUSHFIRE®) at daily doses of 14.4–750 mg/kg of glyphosate. The erythrocyte osmotic fragility, estimated as percentage hemolysis in hypotonic saline, was significantly (p < 0.05) increased in glyphosate-exposed groups at 0.5–0.9% NaCl concentrations, and the fragility was ameliorated in the groups with zinc pretreatments only at 0.5% NaCl. The toxicity did not have any significant effect on the packed cell volume and other erythrocyte parameters. There was significant (p < 0.05) decrease in total white blood cell and lymphocyte counts in glyphosate-exposed groups, which was absent in zinc-pretreated groups. In conclusion, increased erythrocyte osmotic fragility induced by glyphosate could be prevented following zinc pretreatment, but the altered leukogram caused by the toxic action was not fully ameliorated in the pretreated group.