title: Acute and chronic effects of endosulfan on the haemato-immunological and histopathological responses of a threatened freshwater fish, spotted murrel, Channa punctatus.
abstract: Two experiments, one short-term and one long-term, were conducted to elucidate the acute and chronic effects, respectively, of endosulfan exposure on the haemato-immunological and histopathological responses of Channa puncatatus. In the short-term study, fish were exposed to sublethal endosulfan (8.1 μg l(-1)) for 12, 24, 36, 48, 72 and 96 h. In the long-term study, fish were fed with normal diet and simultaneously either exposed to endosulfan (1.2 μg l(-1)) for 90 days or not. Results showed that the ascorbic acid levels in both the liver and the muscle decreased significantly (P < 0.05) by acute and chronic endosulfan exposure. The haemoglobin (Hb) level reduced significantly (P < 0.05) by 15.5% within 12 h of acute endosulfan exposure, further decreased by 25.8% after 24 h of exposure, however, thereafter the values increased and at the end of 72 h returned to normal levels. Almost similar trend was observed for the erythrocyte (RBC) count. The WBC count and the nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) value showed a general increasing trend with increase in the duration of acute endosulfan exposure. The chronic exposure of C. punctatus to endosulfan significantly (P < 0.05) lowered the Hb level, RBC and WBC counts, NBT reduction value and the plasma parameters such as plasma protein, albumin (A) and globulin (G) compared with that of the control (except for A/G ratio). Endosulfan exposure also severely altered the liver histological structure. Overall results indicated that both short-term acute and long-term chronic endosulfan exposure had a significant impact on the haemato-immunological parameters and tissue histopathology of C. punctatus.
authors.affiliation: Division of Fisheries Science, Central Agricultural Research Institute, ICAR, Port Blair, India.
authors.forename: Kamal
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sarma
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Pal
authors.forename: N P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Sahu
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Dalvi
authors.forename: Nirupama
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chatterjee
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.forename: Kartik
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Baruah
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D004726:Endosulfan / Q000633:toxicity*; D007306:Insecticides / Q000633:toxicity*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D010473:Perciformes / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D023382:Toxicity Tests, Acute; D036401:Toxicity Tests, Chronic
chemical_list: D007306:Insecticides; D004726:Endosulfan