Evaluation of albendazole genotoxicity administered to dairy cows using the comet assay

The aim of our study was to reveal the impact of Albendazole on the animal organism through evaluation of the genotoxic potential of it on lactating cows, with the aid of comet assay, through lymphocyte nuclear DNA analysis. The obtained results showed that Albendazole treatments on lactating cows have an acute genotoxic effect, characterized by major lymphocyte nuclear DNA lesions; at 12 hours after treatment these are more of grade 3 and 4 (apoptosis and cell necrosis), suggesting the increased toxicity of the commercial product, even if for a short time. The repair capacity of DNA is high but slow in the case of Albendazole treatments, the values of lesion score and tail factor reaching values close to those of control group at 48 hours after treatment, when 99% of the lesions are repaired. The relatively long period of DNA repair reveal, together with a high genotoxicity, a possible correlation between late elimination of Albendazole metabolites from the organism and the 48 hours necessary to repair the lesions. The 48 hour necessary to repair the DNA lesions correspond to the end of milk prohibition period (48 hours), specified by the producer in the commercial product prospect.