Objective: Comparative study of the extent of oxidative stress and antioxidant enzymes between control healthy subjects and pesticide sprayers. Materials & Methods: This study was conducted in 100 pesticide sprayers, who were engaged in agriculture sector and 40 healthy subjects as control. Superoxide dismutase, catalase, cholinesterase and glutathione were the antioxidant enzymes and MDA was taken as oxidative stress for biochemical investigations. Comparative study was made between healthy control subjects and pesticide sprayers. Results and Conclusion: There were significantly fall in cholinesterase ( AchE, BuchE ) levels in the pesticide sprayers group as compared to healthy control 18.2% and 18% respectively. Decline level of AchE and BuchE were noticed respectively in exposed sprayers with regard to healthy control. The significant increase in the level of superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT) were noticed. While the level Of GSH ( Glutathione ) was diminished in the exposed sprayers compared to the control. The increase in lipid peroxidation was reflected by elevated levels of malonalaldehyde (MDA) in pesticide sprayers, indicates oxidative stress. Conclusion: The increased level of MDA is due to over production of free radicals in pesticide sprayers. Pesticides might be responsible for excess lipid peroxidation to produce higher level of reactive oxygen species. It is supposed that the rise in SOD, CAT because of compensatory mechanism to combat the over produced free radicals. Fall in cholinesterase and GSH might be exhaustion of these by compensating over produced oxidative stress and free radicals.

Keywords: Oregano Phosphorous Pesticide/ Insecticide; Cholinesterase; Oxidative Stress (MDA); SOD; CAT; GSH.