Effect of Ginger on Mancozeb Fungicide-induced Histological and Histochemical Changes in Thyroid Gland of Albino Rat

Mancozeb is an ethylene-bis-dithiocarbamate (EBDC) fungicide. It is used in a wide range to control several of fungal diseases in field crops and fruits. Administration of mancozeb at a dose level of 1/10 LD50 3 times / week for six weeks induced marked histological and histochemical changes in thyroid gland of albino rat. The histological changes included dilation and congestion in blood vessels of the interstitum, atrophy of many follicular cells and hyper trophy of the parafollicular cells, decrease in the amount of colloid and cytoplasmic vacuolation in the follicular cells. The histochemical changes appeared as decrease in both PAS positive materials and protein contents. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is a monocotyledonous plant with many pharmacological properties. Treating animals with ginger extract induced improvements in both the histological and histochemical changes induced by mancozeb in the thyroid gland. These results proved that ginger had inhibitory effects against thyroid toxicity induced by mancozeb. Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Menoufiya University, Egypt.