"Pesticides are extensively used throughout the world for various purposes. The toxic effects of these pesticides, due to their indiscriminate use, may be influenced by the nutritional status. The present paper therefore reports the effects of malathion, an organophosphorus insecticide, administered daily for a period of three weeks to rats maintained of 16%, 6%, and 3% protein diets, on the transaminase activities of the liver and serum . . . . Several reports indicate that the quantity of protein in the diet may be an important factor in determining the susceptibility to pesticide toxicity." This study indicates that a reduction of enzyme activity in the liver accompanies the malathion exposures in all cases and is even worse on lowered protein diets.

* Saraswati Bulusu and Indira Chakravarty, "Interaction of Daily Administration of Malathion with Protein Malnourished Conditions on the Hepatic and Serum Transaminase Levels in Experimental Animals", Journal of Applied Nutrition, Vol. 36, No. 1, Spring, 1984, pp. 12-19.