Diazinon (O,O-diethyl-O-[2-isopropyl-6-methyl-4-pyrimidinyl] phosphoro thioate) is an organo-phosphate insecticide that has been used worldwide in agriculture and domestic. Variety of environmental deleterious and pathological effects of diazinon has been shown. In this study we aimed to investigate the effects of diazinon on bone loss. For this purpose, animals were initially divided into 3 groups. Corn oil used as a control and diazinon 15 and 30 mg/kg per day in corn oil were given to male wistar rats (n = 6) via gavage for 4 weeks. Standardized radiographs were taken from femur bones and the Image J Program was used for measurement of the femoral head, femoral neck, lesser trochanter, greater trochanter and shaft. This study demonstrated for the first time that diazinon reduces bone mineral density. Mice that were treated with 30 mg/kg diazinon highly reduced bone density in femoral head, lesser trochanter, greater trochanter and shaft (p < 0. 01). Also in 15 mg/kg treated mice bone density of shaft was significantly reduced (p < 0. 05). These results indicated that diazinon exposure is associated with decrease in trabecular and cortical bone density and might be one of the causes for worldwide increasing of osteoporosis.

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