| Diethyl Phthalate is a chemical plasticiser commonly found in a variety of everyday household items, ranging from plastic toys and flooring materials to cosmetics and more. Usually classified as a low-molecular-weight phthalate, it may also be considered as an endocrine disruptor causing severe health-related disorders, including reproductive damage, neurotoxicity, oxidative stress, hormonal imbalance and many more. In relation to the current study, the main focus is to analyse the neurobehavioural effects of DEP on the adult zebrafish brain. Our Preliminary findings indicate that DEP acts as a potent neurotoxicant agent, generating behavioural changes and oxidative stress in the animal model. Further, behavioural analysis was performed to assess anxiety-related behaviour, and it was observed that the compound did not generate any anxiety-related behaviour at the given dose. On further analysis, it was found that the compound has a tendency to generate oxidative stress in the fish. Therefore, the overall conclusion of the study is that the DEP works in a dose-dependent manner, where the lower doses may generate oxidative stress and the higher dose of the DEP causes hypoactivity in the fish, causing instant mortality. Future studies aimed at clarifying the neuroprotective effectiveness of natural substances against DEP-induced neurotoxicity might offer a fresh approach to treatment.
Keywords: Diethyl Phthalate, Oxidative stress, Neurotoxicant, Dose-dependent study.
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