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Abstract Introduction: Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland is not able to produce enough thyroid hormone. Thyroid hormones are affected by pollutant like pesticides. Emamectin benzoate (EMB) is the salt of the naturally occurring avermectins. Avermectins are used against parasitic nematodes causing onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis. Many studies suggest an association between environmental exposure of pregnant women to certain agricultural pesticides and malformation in their fetuses. Aim: The present proposal evaluated the toxicity of Emamectin benzoate administration through the effects on DNA, cytomorphological alterations, and the ability to induce apoptosis in brain and liver of the fetuses. Material and Methods: A total of forty pregnant rats were divided into four groups, ten animals for each. Pregnant rats at the control group received daily one ml of corn oil/kg from day 6 to day 20 of pregnancy. Pregnant rats at the second group received daily 6 mg/kg of Carbimazole from day 6 to day 20 of pregnancy. Pregnant rats at the third group received daily 0.479 mg/kg (equivalent to 1/200 LD50) Emamectin benzoate from day 6 to day 20 of pregnancy. Pregnant rats at the fourth group received daily 0.479 mg/kg of Emamectin benzoate and 6 mg/kg of Carbimazole from day 6 to day 20 of pregnancy. Plasma samples were separated and used for thyroid hormones determination. Rats were sacrificed and brain and liver from their fetuses were used for the determination of DNA damage and apoptosis. Results: The results showed that each of CBZ, EMB, and their mixture induced a case of hypothyroidism in pregnant dams as indicated by the decrease in the concentrations of their plasma T3 and T4. Detection on Emamectin benzoate-induced apoptosis observed that the gene expressions of caspase-3 mRNA, caspase-8 mRNA, and caspase-9 mRNA were significantly increased in the brain and liver of the fetuses after pregnant dams were orally administrated with CBZ, EMB, and their mixture |