Glyphosate-based herbicide induces long-lasting impairment in neuronal and glial differentiation

Toxicological concerns regarding glyphosate, its formulations, and co-formulants as environmental pollutants: a review of published studies from 2010 to 2025

Over the last decade and worldwide, an enormous investment in research and data collection has been made in the hope of better understanding the possible ecological and toxicological impacts triggered by glyphosate (GLY). This broad-spectrum, systemic herbicide became the most heavily applied pesticide ever in the 2000s. It is sprayed in many different ways in both agricultural and non-agricultural settings, resulting in multiple routes of exposure to organisms up and down the tree of life. Yet, relatively little is known about the environmental fate of GLY-based herbicide (GBH) formulations, and even less on how GBH co-formulants alter the absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity of GLY. The environmental fate of GLY depends on several abiotic and biotic factors. As a result of heavy annual GBH use over several decades, GLY residues are ubiquitous, and sometimes adversely affect non-target terrestrial and aquatic organisms. GLY has become a frequent contaminant in drinking water and food chains. Human exposures have been associated with numerous adverse health outcomes including carcinogenicity, metabolic syndrome, and reproductive and endocrine-system effects. Nonetheless, the existence and magnitude of GLY-induced effects on human health remain in dispute, especially in the case of heavily exposed applicators. A wide range of biochemical/physiological modes of action have been elucidated. Various GBH co-formulants have long been considered as inert ingredients relative to herbicidal activity but clearly contribute to GLY-induced hazards and risk gradients. In light of already-identified toxicological and ecosystem impacts, the intensive research focuses on GLY and GBHs should continue, coupled in the interim with commonsense, low-cost changes in use patterns and label requirements crafted to slow the spread of GLY-resistant weeds and reduce applicator and general-population exposures.

Neurotoxic effects associated with chronic inhalation and oral exposure to glyphosate-based herbicide IN adult rats

The use of glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) for agricultural production has increased substantially around the world, as have their residues in the environment. Its effects on the central nervous system and neurotoxicity pathways are still not fully understood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the neurotoxic effect of chronic exposure to a GBH in adult rats. Sixty adult male albino Wistar rats were allocated into 6 groups, 2 control groups, and four GBH exposure groups (n = 10/group). The animals were exposed to two concentrations of GBH, orally and by inhalation: 2.99 × 10-3 grams of active ingredient per hectare (g.a.i./ha) and 7.48 × 10-3 g.a.i./ha. The animals were exposed for six months. Behavioral studies were performed. Brain tissue was collected for histopathological, immunohistochemical, and oxidative stress analyses. Animals exposed by inhalation to GBH spent more time in the central area of the open field test, whereas animals exposed to a high oral concentration of GBH spent less time in the open arms in the elevated plus-maze test. Tissue hyperemia occurred only in animals exposed to high concentrations of GBH. There was a greater thickness of the cerebral cortex and an increase in the expression of the BCL-2 in the animals exposed by inhalation to GBH. There was no difference in the doses of malonaldehyde and protein carbonylation between exposed and unexposed groups. The exposure to GBH caused increased levels of anxiety, regardless of the route, high concentrations caused hyperemia and inhalation exposure cause increased cortex thickness and increased BCl-2 expression.

Integrated metabolomics and transcriptomics reveal glyphosate based-herbicide induced reproductive toxicity through disturbing energy and nucleotide metabolism in mice testes

Glyphosate is a widely used herbicide that has deleterious effects on animal reproduction. However, details regarding the systematic mechanisms of glyphosate-induced reproductive toxicity are limited. This study aimed to investigate the toxic effects of glyphosate-based herbicide (GBH) on reproduction in mice exposed to 0 (control group), 50 (low-dose group), 250 (middle-dose group), and 500 (high-dose group) mg/kg/day GBH for 30 days. Toxicological parameters, metabolomics, and transcriptomics were performed to reveal GBH-induced reproductive toxicity. Our findings demonstrated that GBH exposure damaged mitochondrial pyknosis and the nuclear membrane of spermatogonia. GBH triggered a significant increase in sperm malformations in the high-dose group. Omics data showed that GBH impaired the Krebs cycle and respiratory chain, blocked pyruvate metabolism and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and influenced the pentose phosphate pathway and nucleotide synthesis and metabolism. Overall, the multi-omics results revealed systematic and comprehensive evidence of the adverse effects of GBH exposure, providing new insights into the reproductive toxicity of organophosphorus pesticides.

Poisoning Regulation, Research, Health, and the Environment: The Glyphosate-Based Herbicides Case in Canada

Despite discourse advocating pesticide reduction, there has been an exponential increase in pesticide use worldwide in the agricultural sector over the last 30 years. Glyphosate-Based Herbicides (GBHs) are the most widely used pesticides on the planet as well as in Canada, where a total of almost 470 million kilograms of declared "active" ingredient glyphosate was sold between 2007 and 2018. GBHs accounted for 58% of pesticides used in the agriculture sector in Canada in 2017. While the independent scientific literature on the harmful health and environmental impacts of pesticides such as GBHs is overwhelming, Canada has only banned 32 "active" pesticide ingredients out of 531 banned in 168 countries, and reapproved GBHs in 2017 until 2032. This article, based on interdisciplinary and intersectoral research, will analyze how as a result of the scientific and regulatory captures of relevant Canadian agencies by the pesticide industry, the Canadian regulation and scientific assessment of pesticides are deficient and lagging behind other countries, using the GBH case as a basis for analysis. It will show how, by embracing industry narratives and biased evidence, by being receptive to industry demands, and by opaque decision making and lack of transparency, Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) promotes commercial interests over the imperatives of public health and environmental protection.

Pesticides as a risk factor for cognitive impairment: Natural substances are expected to become alternative measures to prevent and improve cognitive impairment

Pesticides are the most effective way to control diseases, insects, weeds, and fungi. The central nervous system (CNS) is damaged by pesticide residues in various ways. By consulting relevant databases, the systemic relationships between the possible mechanisms of pesticides damage to the CNS causing cognitive impairment and related learning and memory pathways networks, as well as the structure-activity relationships between some natural substances (such as polyphenols and vitamins) and the improvement were summarized in this article. The mechanisms of cognitive impairment caused by pesticides are closely related. For example, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and neuroinflammation can constitute three feedback loops that interact and restrict each other. The mechanisms of neurotransmitter abnormalities and intestinal dysfunction also play an important role. The connection between pathways is complex. NMDAR, PI3K/Akt, MAPK, Keap1/Nrf2/ARE, and NF-κB pathways can be connected into a pathway network by targets such as Ras, Akt, and IKK. The reasons for the improvement of natural substances are related to their specific structure, such as polyphenols with different hydroxyl groups. This review's purpose is to lay a foundation for exploring and developing more natural substances that can effectively improve the cognitive impairment caused by pesticides.