{"title":"Urbanization and Water Insecurity in Semi-Arid Regions: A Multi-Index Assessment of Water Quality, Ecological Risk, and Public Health Impacts.","authors":"Muzhda Qasim Qader","doi":"10.1002/jat.4949","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jat.4949","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Degradation of water quality remains a critical environmental and public health issue in semi-arid regions, where limited freshwater resources are increasingly stressed by rapid urbanization, intensive agriculture, and industrial activities. This study assessed the status of surface and groundwater in Erbil City, Kurdistan Region of Iraq, through systematic sampling of 23 sites, including surface water and groundwater sites in 2025. Multiple indices were applied, including the Water Quality Index (WQI), Biochemical Oxygen Demand Index (BI), Nemerow Pollution Index (NPI), Ecological Risk Index (ERI), Index of Geo-Accumulation (Igeo), and human health risk assessment metrics such as Chronic Daily Intake (CDI), Hazard Quotient, Hazard Index (HI), and Incremental Lifetime Cancer Risk (ILCR). WQI values (40.83-76.06) indicated excellent to good water quality, with no sites falling into the poor category, whereas BI (0.28-3.64) revealed moderate organic pollution with localized hotspots. NPI (0.73-14.58) revealed nutrient enrichment at Sites 9, 13, and 16, demonstrated eutrophication risks, while ERI (5.14-276.31) pointed to elevated ecological risks from heavy metals, particularly Pb and Cu at Site 13. Although pH and most ions were within acceptable limits, turbidity, electrical conductivity, and total dissolved solids exceeded thresholds at multiple sites. Health risk assessment revealed noncarcinogenic hazards (HI > 1) at several sites, while carcinogenic risks were primarily driven by arsenic contamination. Specifically, Sites 12, 15, and 19 exceeded the US Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) threshold of 1 × 10<sup>-3</sup> for ∑ILCR, while the remaining sites were below this level. The findings demonstrated that rapid urbanization and land-use changes substantially impaired water resources in Erbil. These results provide critical evidence for policymakers, underscoring the need for stricter wastewater management, targeted mitigation strategies, and long-term monitoring to ensure water security and safeguard public health in the region.</p>","PeriodicalId":15242,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Toxicology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145238720","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Insects as Experimental Models to Study the Toxicological Effects of Nanoparticles: Concerns at the Behavioral, Physiological, Cellular, and Molecular Levels.","authors":"Kumbalingam Monica, Sundaram Janarthanan","doi":"10.1002/jat.4960","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jat.4960","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In recent times, nanotechnology has evolved as a fast-developing area with possible applications in numerous fields. There is a growing concern about the potential toxicity of nanoproducts to the environment and living organisms after considering the possible utilization of various kinds of nanomaterials in diverse areas of application. Subsequently, the toxicity of nanoparticles has been studied by employing several animal models to generate data to judge the judicious use of such valuable nanomaterials. Among various animal model systems used to investigate the toxicity of nanoparticles, insects are considered valuable models due to their well-known genetics, shorter lifespan, sensitivity to environmental changes, etc. Most importantly, some of the insects as test models (e.g., Drosophila melanogaster) could be very useful in predicting human toxicity, and therefore, it may be an opportunity to reduce the use of mammalian models. This review is intended to provide a comprehensive summary of the toxicity of nanoparticles in insect systems at the behavioral, morphological, physiological, and molecular levels. The overall analysis of the general literature survey made through this review showed the vulnerability of insects to the exposure of nanoparticles, emphasizing the need for comprehensive risk assessment strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":15242,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Toxicology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145232620","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Evandro da Conceição Araújo, José Matheus Almeida da Silva, Maria Luiza Cunha E Souza Ferreira, Verônica Regina Lobato de Oliveira Bahia, Carlos Alberto Machado da Rocha, Lorena Araújo da Cunha
{"title":"In Vivo Evaluation of the Potential Protective Effect of Prolactin Against Histological Damage Caused by Methylmercury in Testicles of Mice (Mus musculus).","authors":"Evandro da Conceição Araújo, José Matheus Almeida da Silva, Maria Luiza Cunha E Souza Ferreira, Verônica Regina Lobato de Oliveira Bahia, Carlos Alberto Machado da Rocha, Lorena Araújo da Cunha","doi":"10.1002/jat.4950","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jat.4950","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Mercury is a heavy metal that naturally occurs in the environment or may be released through anthropogenic activities. Its toxicological impacts are well documented. Prolactin (PRL) is a hormone involved in several physiological processes, including metabolic regulation and tissue protection. This study aimed to investigate the potential protective effect of PRL against testicular histopathological damage induced by methylmercury (MeHg) exposure in Mus musculus mice. The animals were allocated into six experimental groups: negative control, MeHg only, two groups treated with different PRL concentrations, and two groups receiving combined MeHg and PRL treatments. Testicular tissues were fixed, embedded in paraffin, sectioned using a microtome, stained with hematoxylin and eosin, and evaluated by light microscopy. Histopathological alterations observed included seminiferous tubule degeneration, cytoplasmic vacuolization, epithelial desquamation, and abnormal secretion. Statistical analysis was performed using a nonparametric ANOVA (Kruskal-Wallis), with post hoc SNK test. The findings confirmed the testicular toxicity of MeHg and suggested a potential protective role of PRL, although PRL alone also demonstrated some toxicological effects. These results underscore the need for further research to elucidate the dual role of PRL in testicular toxicology.</p>","PeriodicalId":15242,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Toxicology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145232631","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Evaluating the Reproductive Toxicity of Florasulam in Bulls: In Vitro Effects on Sperm Parameters and Testicular Cell Function.","authors":"Kaya Abdulkadir, Kabakci Ruhi, Varisli Omer","doi":"10.1002/jat.4952","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jat.4952","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study investigates the in vitro effects of florasulam, a widely used herbicide with known environmental impact, on bull epididymal sperm and primary testicular cells. Epididymal spermatozoa were collected from the cauda epididymis attached to one testis of a paired set obtained from a local abattoir and diluted to a concentration of 1 × 10<sup>8</sup> spermatozoa/mL. The other testis was used to isolate testicular cells, which were then seeded onto 12-well and 96-well plates at the concentration of 5 × 10<sup>5</sup> and 5 × 10<sup>4</sup> cells per well, respectively. Sperm samples were exposed to various concentrations of florasulam (0-1000 μg/mL) for 2 h and evaluated for motility (M), plasma membrane integrity (PMI), acrosome integrity (AI), and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). Likewise, testicular cells were treated with different concentrations of florasulam for 48 h and assessed for cytotoxicity, apoptosis, steroidogenesis, and MMP. Statistical analyses were performed using ANOVA followed by Duncan's multiple range test. The results showed that florasulam exposure significantly reduced sperm motility and MMP at concentrations of 100-1000 μg/mL. Additionally, 10 μg/mL florasulam stimulated cell proliferation, whereas 10, 100, and 500 μg/mL inhibited steroid secretion in testicular cells. Apoptosis was significantly increased at 500 and 1000 μg/mL, and MMP was negatively affected at 1000 μg/mL (p ≤ 0.05). These findings provide the first evidence that florasulam, even at sub-toxic concentrations, can impair male reproductive function by reducing sperm motility and mitochondrial activity, and by inducing apoptosis and hormonal disruption in testicular cells. This highlights its potential risk to cattle fertility and broader environmental reproductive health.</p>","PeriodicalId":15242,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Toxicology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145225331","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Randy Suryadinata, Paul Martinello, Meghan McKinnon, Philip Robinson
{"title":"The Impact of Bushfire Smoke Exposure on Airway Epithelium and Protective Cilia.","authors":"Randy Suryadinata, Paul Martinello, Meghan McKinnon, Philip Robinson","doi":"10.1002/jat.4956","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jat.4956","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Climate change has intensified the frequency and severity of bushfires and wildfires, which continually pose serious public health risks through smoke inhalation. The airway is normally protected by several mechanisms, including motile cilia, which are critical for mucociliary clearance (MCC) to remove inhaled hazardous substances from the lungs. The impact of bushfire smoke on cilia function remains understudied. Here, we exposed cultured primary nasal airway epithelial cells from healthy individuals to bushfire smoke and assessed ciliary function and cell integrity. As little as 5 min of exposure significantly reduced cilia beating frequency, with complete immotility and structural damage to the epithelial cells observed after 30 min. Notably, cells protected by level-2 surgical masks maintained normal ciliary function. Our findings highlight the vulnerability of the airway epithelium to short-term smoke exposure, as well as the protective potential of face coverings.</p>","PeriodicalId":15242,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Toxicology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145212755","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jiawang Dong, Guanghua Mao, Yao Chen, Xiangtin Wang, Yangyang Ding, Rencan Zeng, Yue Chu, Xiangyang Wu, Dan Wang, Weiwei Feng
{"title":"A Review of Sulfonamides in Drinking Water Source and the Assessment of Ecological and Health Risks.","authors":"Jiawang Dong, Guanghua Mao, Yao Chen, Xiangtin Wang, Yangyang Ding, Rencan Zeng, Yue Chu, Xiangyang Wu, Dan Wang, Weiwei Feng","doi":"10.1002/jat.4942","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jat.4942","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Sulfonamides are antimicrobials whose major components and metabolites enter the natural environment through pharmaceutical and aquaculture effluents. Sulfonamides have increased in recent years in response to the increased use of sulfonamides in pharmaceuticals and aquaculture. Sulfonamides are currently detected in almost all major rivers on all continents and their distribution in ecosystems, especially in drinking water sources. Studies on sulfonamides have focused on their effects on aquatic organisms and human health, and the results show that sulfonamides can affect fish development and reproduction, disrupt the structure of soil microbial communities, reduce the activity of soil enzymes, and affect higher organisms through the food chain. In humans, they can cause allergic reactions and neurotoxicity, among other effects. This paper reviews the sources, distribution, and effects of sulfonamides on aquatic organisms and humans and discusses in detail the contamination and potential hazards of sulfonamides in water sources. In the future, it is necessary to conduct more in-depth studies on the potential adverse effects of sulfonamides on human organs such as the liver and kidney, to set strict standards for their release, and to strengthen the monitoring of water sources.</p>","PeriodicalId":15242,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Toxicology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145212722","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Noor Ul Huda, Mushtaq Ahmed, Nadia Mushtaq, Saboor Badshah, Haleema Saeed, Rahmat Ali Khan, Farhad Badshah, Mohamed Taha Yassin
{"title":"Biogenic Synthesis and Characterization of Hypecoum pendulum Mediated Silver Nanoparticles: Revealed Outstanding Anticancer and Genotoxic Potentials.","authors":"Noor Ul Huda, Mushtaq Ahmed, Nadia Mushtaq, Saboor Badshah, Haleema Saeed, Rahmat Ali Khan, Farhad Badshah, Mohamed Taha Yassin","doi":"10.1002/jat.4930","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jat.4930","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Fabrication of silver nanoparticles by green approach is the most effective and eco-friendly technique in recent technologies. The current study aimed to generate a simple, valid, and justifiable method for biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles (HP-AgNPs) using aqueous extract of Hypecoum pendulum L.(HP) and to assess their in vitro anticancer and genotoxic potentials on baby hamster kidney cell (BHK-21) and human blood lymphocytes using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl-)-2,5-di-phenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and alkaline comet assay, respectively. HP-AgNP characterization was done using UV-vis spectrometry, EDX, SEM, XRD, and FTIR techniques. The crystalline nature of HP-AgNPs with a particle size of 36.3 nm was assessed using the XRD technique. The surface morphologies with a particle size of 80 nm were verified by SEM analysis. UV spectroscopy verified the existence of HP-AgNPs by yielding a sharp peak at 417 nm with an absorbance intensity of 1.54. FTIR assessment revealed the existence of different functional moieties that contribute to the HP-AgNPs stabilization and reduction. Similarly, EDX analysis revealed Ag as a principal element (49%). MTT assay showed significant cytotoxicity by Doxorubicin and HP-AgNPs with a smaller IC<sub>50</sub> value of 104.21 ± 4.33 and 134.91 ± 6.33 μg/mL correlated to HP extract (229.84 ± 4.66 μg/mL). The outcomes of the comet assay revealed potential DNA damage in a positive trend with concentration (25-600 μg/mL). HP-AgNP-treated lymphocytes showed higher DNA damage as compared to HP extract-treated cells, but less damage as compared to a positive control, H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>. These outcomes showed that HP-AgNPs have demonstrated promising anticancer and genotoxic action than HP extract due to their size and shape.</p>","PeriodicalId":15242,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Toxicology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145206383","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Alice Carle, Ludivine Preizal, Marc Amyot, Maikel Rosabal
{"title":"Acute and Chronic Toxicity of Sediments Containing Platinum and Palladium on Freshwater Benthic Organisms Chironomus riparius and Hyalella azteca.","authors":"Alice Carle, Ludivine Preizal, Marc Amyot, Maikel Rosabal","doi":"10.1002/jat.4933","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jat.4933","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The expanding demand for platinum group elements (PGEs) in industrial and medical applications has led to their increasing accumulation in aquatic sediments. However, their ecological impacts remain poorly understood, particularly for sediment-dwelling invertebrates. This study assessed the toxicity of platinum (Pt) and palladium (Pd) across a concentration range of 29-1214 μg·g<sup>-1</sup> dw in two freshwater benthic species, Chironomus riparius (C) and Hyalella azteca (H), under both acute and chronic exposures. Pt was more toxic (LC<sub>50</sub> in μg·g<sup>-1</sup> dw; H: 289 ± 28; C: 84 ± 7) than Pd (H: 1192 ± 356; C: 209 ± 44) for acute survival, whereas Pd caused more pronounced sublethal effects on growth. Bioaccumulation patterns showed that H. azteca accumulated more Pt, whereas C. riparius retained more Pd. In C. riparius, chronic exposure to Pd impacted survival, emergence, and female adult weight, indicating developmental disruption. Compared with other sediment-associated metals, Pd and Pt showed moderate to high toxicity: more toxic than uranium, nickel, arsenic, and molybdenum; comparable with copper; and less toxic than cadmium and lead. Although biological responses varied across metals, species, and endpoints, a consistent pattern of toxicity emerged. This study addresses a significant knowledge gap and reinforces the need to include PGEs in sediment quality guidelines. Although current environmental concentrations remain below toxicity thresholds, growing industrial use raises concerns for future ecological risk. Our findings support regulatory efforts by providing essential toxicity benchmarks and call for further research on mixture toxicity and mechanisms of action.</p>","PeriodicalId":15242,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Toxicology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145206378","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Faris Zaidan Jarjees, Karwan Kawa Hama Kareem, Jamal Kamal Mohammedamin, Lana Othman Mahmood
{"title":"Comparative Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metal Contamination in Indoor Dust From University Dormitories in Erbil, Iraq.","authors":"Faris Zaidan Jarjees, Karwan Kawa Hama Kareem, Jamal Kamal Mohammedamin, Lana Othman Mahmood","doi":"10.1002/jat.4947","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jat.4947","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This investigation aimed to evaluate the possible health hazards linked to heavy metal exposure in indoor dust samples gathered from two university dormitories at Salahaddin University: the 18 Shobat dormitory for females and the Shahid Shawkat dormitory for males. A total of 100 dust samples (50 per dormitory) were collected in May 2025 and analyzed for iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), arsenic (As), lead (Pb), and cadmium (Cd) using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence. Results revealed substantially higher mean concentrations of most metals in Shahid Shawkat, located near a high-traffic road, compared to 18 Shubat. The average concentration of As at Shahid Shawkat dormitory was 9.53 ppm, more than double the 3.70 ppm recorded at 18 Shubat (p = 2.9 × 10<sup>-15</sup>). Pb levels exhibited a similar trend, with mean values of 85.1 ppm and 49.0 ppm, respectively (p = 2.5 × 10<sup>-13</sup>). Mn concentrations were likewise markedly elevated in Shahid Shawkat, reaching 187 ppm versus 72.9 ppm at 18 Shubat (p = 2 × 10<sup>-16</sup>). This suggests that proximity to major traffic routes substantially influences indoor dust compared to the 18 Shubat dormitory. Principal component analysis demonstrates that heavy metal accumulation in the dormitories is affected by external environmental pollution, particularly for Fe, Mn, As, Pb, and Zn, as well as internal sources, especially for Cd and Cu. Non-carcinogenic risk assessment showed all hazard index (HI) values below 1, with As posing the highest risk in Shahid Shawkat (HI = 1.18 × 10<sup>-1</sup>) and Mn in 18 Shubat (HI = 3 × 10<sup>-2</sup>). The findings indicate that proximity to major roads contributes to indoor dust contamination, emphasizing the importance of targeted measures to reduce chronic exposure among students.</p>","PeriodicalId":15242,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Toxicology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145206341","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Reena Sheoran, Shakti Bhardwaj, Annu Phogat, Arun Hasanpuri, Vinay Malik
{"title":"Hepatoprotective Effect of Morin Against Lead-Induced Oxidative Stress and Structural Alterations in Male Wistar Rats: An In Vivo and In Silico Approach.","authors":"Reena Sheoran, Shakti Bhardwaj, Annu Phogat, Arun Hasanpuri, Vinay Malik","doi":"10.1002/jat.4946","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/jat.4946","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Lead, a naturally occurring heavy metal contaminant, poses serious environmental and health risks. Upon exposure, it accumulates in various organs and disrupts normal physiological functions. In the liver, it induces oxidative stress by generating reactive oxygen species and impairing antioxidant defenses, leading to hepatotoxicity. Plant-derived antioxidants have shown considerable efficacy in mitigating such toxic effects. Therefore, this study evaluates the hepatoprotective potential of morin, a bioactive flavonoid, against lead-induced oxidative damage and structural alterations in male Wistar rats. Animals were allocated equally into four experimental groups: control, morin-treated (50 mg/kg b.wt), lead-exposed (30 mg/kg b.wt), and lead + morin co-treated group, which received respective doses intragastrically for 28 days. Results showed that morin significantly attenuated lead-induced hepatotoxicity as indicated by reduced lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation in biochemical assays. The FTIR analysis further confirmed oxidative modifications in lipid and protein structure, implying disruption of their molecular integrity due to lead exposure. Further, morin treatment considerably improved the activities of acetylcholinesterase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase, along with increased glutathione content in lead-exposed rats. The molecular docking analysis also revealed a strong binding affinity (-6.55 and -8.97 kcal/mol) of morin with superoxide dismutase and catalase, supporting its role in modulating antioxidant defense mechanisms. Morin also prevented lead-induced hepatic deformities, including hydropic degeneration, portal vein congestion, and extensive collagen fiber deposition, as demonstrated by the histological and electron microscopy examinations. Conclusively, this subchronic study highlights morin's therapeutic potential and antioxidative efficacy in the liver tissue of rats subjected to lead exposure.</p>","PeriodicalId":15242,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Applied Toxicology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145206444","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}