Punjab University Journal of Zoology
33(2): xxx-xxx (2018)
http:dx.doi.org/10.17582/pujz/2018.33.2.....
Research Article
Study of Induce Histological and Biochemical Alterations in
Hypophthalmicthyes molitrix after Acute Exposure to Deltamethrine
Wajid Ali1,*, Asma Karim1, Muhammad Irfan2, Hafiz Abdullah Shakir3, Ghulam Mustafa4, Zeeshan
Shafique1, Ijaz Anwar1
1
Department of Zoology Government College of Science, Wahdat Road, Lahore, Pakistan
Department of Biotechnology, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan
3
Department of Zoology, University of the Punjab, New Campus, Lahore, Pakistan
4
Department of Zoology, Govt. College University, Lahore, Pakistan
2
Article History
Received: April 04, 2018
Revised: June 13, 2018
Accepted: June 20, 2018
Published: August 04, 2018
Authors’ Contributions
..............?
Keywords
Deltamethrine, Acute exposure,
Silver carp, Serum, Biochemistry,
Histology.
Abstract | Pesticides have brought us great economic benefits, at the same time they are also
root of serious ecological harms like non-target toxicity of organism. Synthetic pyrethroid
(deltamethrine) is widely used due to its less toxicity and easy degradation in soil. In this
study fresh water fish Hypophthalmicthyes molitrix were exposed to sub lethal concentrations
of deltamethrine. Fish were divided into 4 groups and each group contains six fish. One of
them is control and A, B and C were experimental groups. Experimental groups viz. A, B and
C were exposed to 25, 50 and 75% of LC50, respectively for four days. After 96 h; sample of
blood for biochemical analysis (blood glucose, cholesterol and total protein) and gills tissue for
histology were taken. After acute exposure to pesticide, significant changes were observed in
serum biochemistry and histology. Serum glucose and cholesterol were increased while total
protein was decreased. Histopathological result reveled that gills tissue of experimental fish was
damage severely resulting Necrosis, Damaged nuclei , rupturing of epithelial cells, Mucous cells
and severe lamellar fusion .it was concluded that, deltamethrine is highly toxic for non-target
aquatic organisms like silver carp (Hypophthalmicthyes molitrix).
To cite this article: Ali, W., Karim, A., Irfan, M., Shakir, H.A., Mustafa, G., Shafique, Z. and Anwar, I., 2018. Study of induce histological and
biochemical alterations in Hypophthalmicthyes molitrix after acute exposure to deltamethrine. Punjab Univ. J. Zool., 33(2): xxx-xxxx. http:dx.doi.
org/10.17582/pujz/2018.3xxxxxxxxx
ndustrial effluents, domestic sewage and pesticides
are the important sources of aquatic pollution. Aquatic bodies that run through agricultural or industrial areas have high vulnerability of being polluted by pesticides
through surface runoff and leaching. Aquatic ecosystems
are greater part of natural environment. Aquatic ecosystems are continuously being polluted with a wide variety
of environmental pollutants such as pesticides from industrial, agricultural and domestic activities (Okuku and
Peter, 2011).
Environmental pollution is a universal problem in a
present society. Pesticides are used to get better crop production and other benefits. Extensive used pesticides has
raised the questions about human health and non-target
animals. Unfortunately, the application of these pesticides
is highly toxic even at very small concentration to a number of non-target aquatic organisms such as fish (El-Sayed
et al., 2007; Begum, 2005). Extensive use of insecticides
has contaminates the ecosystems with toxicant. Pesticides
are present in different concentrations in groundwater,
crop samples and agricultural streams (Sharma et al., 2015;
Mahboob et al., 2015; Yadav et al., 2015).
*Corresponding author: Wajid Ali
wajid_wajid1@yahoo.com
Due to short biodegradation period and lack of the
accumulative tendency in organisms, pyrethroid deltame-
Introduction
I
December 2018 | Volume 33 | Issue 2 | Page 1
W. Ali et al.
thrine, is extensively used (Laskowski, 2002). Their poisonous effect is in the parts per billion for non-target organisms (Bradbury and Coats, 1989b). Fish are considered to
be indicators of environmental pollution because it is very
sensitive to the presence of toxicant (Prusty et al., 2011).
Fish during their life cycle may be exposed to a wide range
of pesticides. When pesticides enter into the organs of fish
they may considerably alter certain biochemical and physiological processes (Banaee et al., 2011). Pyrethroids are
absorbed directly through gills into the circulation (Aydin
et al., 2005). Pyrethroids cause 1000 times’ greater toxicity
to fish as compare to other groups of birds and mammal
(Bradbury and Coats, 1989a).
In biological monitoring program It has been reported that biochemical changes are useful for observing water
pollution, environmental quality and the health conditions
of aquatic organisms (Kohler et al., 2007; Kori-Siakpere et
al., 2008). Deltamethrine (Pyrethroid) is extensively used
to control pest (Bradbury and Coats, 1989a). Sediment
samples taken from the lake have confirmed the presence
of deltamethrine (Balint et al., 1995). Histopathological
investigations have long been recognized to be reliable biomarkers of stress in fish during lab experiment (van der
Oost et al., 2003; Boran et al., 2012). Gills are the first
target of water borne pollutants due to the constant contact with the external environment (Perry and Laurent,
1993). Since gills in fishes are considered the main passage for entrance of pollutants to the internal body organs
(Takashima and Hibiya, 1995). Alterations found in this
organ are normally easier to identify than functional ones
(Fanta et al., 2003) and serve as warning signs of damage
to animal health (Hinton and Laurén, 1990). This study
was designed to check out acute toxic effect of pyrethroid
deltamethrine on fish (Hypophthalmicthyes molitrix). In
this experiment histopathology of gills and biochemical
variable (glucose, cholesterol and total protein) was observed after acute exposure to deltamethrine.
Materials and Methods
Experimental animal
Live silver carp (H. molitrix) were purchased from
Himalayan Fish Hatchery Muredke, Sheikhupura. The average weight and length of fish specimen was 160.33±5.27
g and 9.96±0.138 cm, respectively. Fish were acclimatized
with uninterrupted air supply with air pump in aquarium
containing 40 liter tap water (without chlorination) for
duration of two week at room temperature. After it fish
were exposed to toxicant for 96 h. During this period dead
fish were removed instantaneously. This study is performed
at lab of department of zoology Government College of
Science, Wahdat Road, Lahore, Pakistan.
Pesticides
Commercially synthesized deltamethrine (ParathyDecember 2018 | Volume 33 | Issue 2 | Page 2
roid) was used as toxicant and the concentration applied
on experimental groups were described in our earlier reports (Karim et al., 2016a, b). Fishes were divided into
four groups. One of them was a controlled group and A,
B, C were experimental groups. Each group contain six
fish (n=6). According to LC50 values three sub-lethal concentrations of deltamethrine were prepared. Three doses
used for the experiment groups A, B, and C was as follows:
Group A= 0.4 µg/ L (25% of LC50), Group B =0.8 µg/ L
(50% of LC50), Group C=1.2 µg/L (75% of LC50).
Biochemical and histological analysis
After 96 h fish blood was drawn directly in sterilized
syringes through cardiac puncture for biochemical studies of blood glucose, cholesterol and total protein. 2ml of
blood was taken in serum vacutainer (devoid of any clotting factor) to separate the serum. At 4000rpm blood was
centrifuged for twenty minutes. Then separated serum was
stock up at -20°C until study. Small piece of gills tissue was
fixed in 10% formalin after rinsing with saline solution for
histological studies. The process of gills fixation was done
by following standard protocol (Mumford, 2007).
Statistical analysis
The data ware statistically evaluated by One Way
ANOVA test with SPSS 13 Statistical program and data
were reported as Mean ± SEM with n=6.
Results
Glucose
After 96 h exposure, the serum glucose level significantly increased. The concentration of glucose in control
group was 54.2±0.80 mg/dl, when fish exposed to sub lethal
concentrations of deltamethrine, glucose values increased
significantly (P<0.000) in Group A (62.8±1.15 mg/dl),
Group B (74.6±1.53 mg/dl) and Group C (63±1.30 mg/
dl) in acute exposure, respectively (Figure 1A).
Cholesterol
The concentration of cholesterol significantly increased in experimental groups as compared to control
group. The concentration of cholesterol in control group
was 177±5.08 mg/dl, when fish exposed to sub-lethal concentrations of deltamethrine, cholesterol values increased
significantly (P>0.000) in Group A (212±4.06 mg/dl),
Group B (227.6±3.26 mg/dl) and Group C (229±1.81
mg/dl) in acute exposure, respectively (Figure 1B).
Total protein
The concentration of total protein significantly decreased in experimental groups after 96 h exposure to
deltamethrine. Concentration of total protein in control group was 6.64±0.23 mg/dl, when fish exposed to
sub lethal concentrations of deltamethrine, total protein
values decreased significantly (P<0.000) in Group A
(5.25±0.27 mg/dl), Group B (4.4±0.20 mg/dl) and Group
Histological and Biochemical Alterations in Hypophthalmicthyes molitrix
C (4.22±0.23 mg/dl) in acute exposure, respectively (Figure 1C).
Histopathology of gills
Histopathological investigations are reliable biomarkers to check toxicity induce by pesticide. Normal aspect
of control group gills showed primary lamella, secondary
lamellae, mucous cell, chloride cell, pillar cell and epithelial
cell. Histopathology of group A gills after acute exposure
showed necrosis, damaged secondary lamella, damaged
primary lamellae. Deltamethrine induce alteration in gills
of group B after acute exposure resulting necrosis, degeneration, damaged nuclei, and rupturing of epithelial cells.
Gills texture of Group C was altered severely causing necrosis, hypertrophy of mucous cells and lamellar severe fusion. These results reveled that deltamethrine badly effect
the gills of experimental groups (A, B and C) as compare
to control group (Figure 2).
Figure 1: Glucose (A), cholesterol (B) and total protein (C) concentrations in control and experimental groups.
Figure 2: Photomicrograph of Gills of Hypophthalmicthyes molitrix. section of control group showing primery lamella (PL), secondary lamellae (SL), mucous cells (MC), epithelial cells (EC) and pillar cells (PC). Group A showing
necrosis (N), damaged secondary lamella (DSL), damaged primary lamellae (DPL). Group B showing necrosis (N),
degeneration (D), damaged nuclei (DN) and rupturing of epithelial cells (REC). Group C showing necrosis (N),
hypertrophy of mucous cells (HMC) and lamellar severe fusion (LSF).
December 2018 | Volume 33 | Issue 2 | Page 3
W. Ali et al.
Discussion
The estimation of serum characteristics of blood plasma in fish has become a diagnostic tool to study the toxicological and pathological impacts of pollutant like pesticides (Suvetha et al., 2010). Glucose provides energy to
organism but hyper-glycemia in blood due to pesticide exposure is a common marker of environmental stress in fish
(Sepici-Dinçel et al., 2009). In agreement with our results
(Ceron et al., 1997) observed significant hyperglycemia in
common eel (Anguilla anguilla) after exposing it to sub-lethal concentrations of diazinon .Glycogen in hepatic tissue
of fish was reduced and caused the Hyperglycemia against
toxicant insult. After cypermethrin (pyrethroid) exposure
to Indian major carp Labeo rohita, Increased blood glucose
level was reported (Das et al., 2003) which are similar to
our results. The low level of blood protein may be due to
degradation or increased proteolytic activity or reduced
protein production (Sulekha and Mercy, 2011; Shakoori
et al., 1990). The important reason for low synthesis of
total protein, immunoglobulin and albumin by the liver
was exposure of diazinon which damaged the hepatocyte
(Gokcimen et al., 2007). In agreement with our result a
low level of serum total protein was reported in fish Oreochromis niloticus (One et al., 2008) and in Rhamdia quelen
(Borges et al., 2007) in response to Cu and cypermethrin
exposure, respectively.
The increase in blood cholesterol level was due to
less excretion of cholesterol in the bile duct and the large
amount of cholesterol produced by liver as a result of stress.
Similar increase in serum cholesterol was observed in fish
after exposure to pollutants (Goel and Garg, 1980; Ghazaly, 1991). In Rhamdia quelen after cypermethrin exposure
hypercholesteremia was observed (Borges et al., 2007). In
agreement with our result, Yousef et al. (2003) reported
that aggregation of pesticides in the liver increased the
permeability of hepatic cells resulting into hypercholesteremia and disrupt lipid metabolism.
Histopathology of gill is the appropriate bio indicator
to pollution monitoring because gills come in immediate
contact with the environment, tissue damages brought
about by water borne pollutants can be easily observed
(Dutta et al., 1993). Deltamethrine induce alteration like
damaged nuclei, rupturing of epithelial cells, mucous cells
and severe lamellar fusion. These types of lesions were seen
(Cengiz and Unlu, 2006; Das and Mukherjee, 2000; Sahoo et al., 2017).
Conclusion
Result of this study concluded that deltamethrine induce serological and histological changes in silver carp so
there is need to use biological control method in replacement of pesticide as alternative method to control pests.
December 2018 | Volume 33 | Issue 2 | Page 4
Conflicts of interest
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
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