PAKISTAN VETERINARY JOURNAL

Pak Vet J, 2026, 46(4) 888-898

Unveiling the Oxidative Stress and Genotoxic Effects of Copper Oxychloride in Mice

Nouf Aldawood¹, Ahmed Aljazzar^2*, Aiman A. Alsaegh³, Fahad Alhizab⁴, Mahmoud Elalfy⁵, Ahmed MA Meligy⁶, Khalid Alkhodair⁷, Ahmed Ezzat Ahmed^8,9, Yehia Hazzazi¹⁰ and Nady Kh. Elbarbary^11*

¹Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia; ²Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, King Faisal University, P.O. Box: 400, Hofuf, Al-Ahsa, 31982, Saudi Arabia; ³Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah- Saudi Arabia; ⁴Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, King Faisal University, P.O. Box: 400, Hofuf, Al-Ahsa, 31982, Saudi Arabia; ⁵Department of Clinical Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, King Faisal University, P.O. Box: 400, Hofuf, Al-Ahsa, 31982, Saudi Arabia; ⁶Department of Clinical Science, College of Veterinary Medicine, King Faisal University, P.O. Box: 400, Hofuf, Al-Ahsa, 31982, Saudi Arabia; ⁷Department of anatomy, College of Veterinary Medicine, King Faisal University, P.O. Box: 400, Hofuf, Al-Ahsa, 31982, Saudi Arabia; ⁸Department of Biology, College of Science, King Khalid University, Abha 61413, Saudi Arabia; ⁹Prince Sultan Bin Abdelaziz for Environmental Research and Natural Resources Sustainability Center, King Khalid University, Abha 61421, Saudi Arabia; ‏¹⁰Department of Biology, College of Science, Jazan University, Jazan 45142, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; ¹¹Food Hygiene and Control Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aswan University, Aswan 81528, Egypt.

*Corresponding author: Ajazzar@kfu.edu.sa (AA); nadykhairy@vet.aswu.edu.eg (NKE)

Abstract

Copper oxychloride is extensively and persistently used due to its broad-spectrum antifungal actions to control the different fungal problems. This experimental study investigated the hemato-biochemical alterations, oxidative stress, DNA damage and histopathological changes in mice exposed to different doses of copper oxychloride. A total of twenty-five sexually mature male mice were obtained from local animal house and were randomly placed in wire cages in five groups and each group contained five mice. The mice in groups C₀, C₁, C₂, C₃ and C₄were fed different doses of copper oxychloride mixed in the diet at 5, 10, 15 and 20 mg/kg/day for a period of two months. Group C₀ served as the control group. Blood was collected directly from the heart of each animal via cardiac puncture for serum separation. The results revealed red blood cells, hemoglobin and hematocrit values were significantly lowered in treated mice whereas leukocyte counts significantly increased compared to normal mice. Serum ALT, AST, glucose, and cholesterol levels considerably increased (P<0.05) and serum total proteins and albumin levels decreased significantly (P<0.05). Oxidative stress markers, including reactive oxygen species (ROS) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), were significantly increased, whereas antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, CAT and GSH) were significantly decreased in the liver, kidneys, and heart of treated mice compared to controls. Light microscopic analysis of different sections of liver, kidneys and heart of treated mice indicated moderate to severe histopathological alterations in a dose dependent pattern. The results on genotoxic effects of copper oxychloride indicated significantly increased percentile rate of DNA damage by comet assay in isolated cells of liver, kidneys and heart of mice treated with higher doses.

To Cite This Article: Aldawood N, Aljazzar A, Alsaegh AA, Aljazzar F, Elalfy M, Meligy AMA, Alkhodair K, Ahmed AE, Hazzazi Y and Elbarbary NKH, 2026. Unveiling the oxidative stress and genotoxic effects of copper oxychloride in mice. Pak Vet J, 46(4): 888-898. http://dx.doi.org/10.29261/pakvetj/2026.083

Abstract

ISSN 0253-8318 (Print)ISSN 2074-7764 (Online)

ISSN 0253-8318 (Print)
ISSN 2074-7764 (Online)