Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the toxic effects caused by exposure to antidiabetics at concentrations found in the environment under the biological parameters of Danio rerio. Methods: Embryonic and larval development was evaluated under exposure to metformin, glibenclamide, glimepiride and gliclazide from 1 to 144 hpf. Possible toxic effects were divided into lethal, sublethal and teratogenic. Results: All antidiabetics caused a low mortality of less than 10% caused by the absence of a heartbeat. The sublethal effect in metformin-exposed animals was the absence of swim bladder inflation in the larvae. Glibenclamide showed sublethal and teratogenic effects at all concentrations, being considered the most toxic drug. Glimepiride caused a reduction in pigmentation and gliclazide had the lowest toxicity, but it was the only drug that caused growth retardation. Conclusion: We conclude that the drugs evaluated have low toxicity. We found different toxicity in the two stages of zebrafish development, with larvae being the most affected. As metformin is the most common antidiabetic found in the aquatic environment, we recommend monitoring this compound to try to mitigate possible environmental impact.