Changes in fungal composition in the caecum microbiota of rats exposed to three doses of glyphosate (0.5, 5, 50 mg/kg body weight per day) or the formulated products MON 52276 and Ranger Pro at the same glyphosate-equivalent doses.

Glyphosate is the most used herbicide worldwide. The toxicity of glyphosate in plant is caused by an inhibition of the 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) of the shikimate pathway, causing a shortage in aromatic amino acid biosynthesis. This mechanism of action does not exist in mammalian cells. However, microorganisms can be sensitive to glyphosate inhibition when they are equipped with the shikimate pathway. Despite the growing scientific evidences linking the presence of fungi in the human gut to health effects, such as multiple sclerosis and other neurological diseases, no study has investigated if glyphosate can affect these fungal populations. We measured the changes in fungal composition in the caecum microbiota of rats exposed to three doses of glyphosate (0.5, 5, 50 mg/kg body weight per day) or the formulated products MON 52276 and Ranger Pro at the same glyphosate-equivalent doses.