Influence of industrial pollutants on thyroid function in Channa punctatus (Bloch)

A 30 day exposure of C. punctatus to sublethal levels of phenol, ammonia, mercuric chloride, cadmium chloride and a mixture of the four resulted in an overall activation of guaiacol peroxidase and depression of iodide peroxidase (IPOD) activity and blood T4 titre. Interestingly enough, in case of 15 day ammonia and 1 day mercury exposures, an increase of IPOD activity was accompanied by a decrease in T4 titre. In general, phenol, mercury, cadmium and the mixture of pollutants were found to inhibit LP activity by 56% to 85% while ammonia inhibited lysosomal protease (LP) activity by 70%. Alterations in acid phosphatase (AP) activity indicate changes in the lysosomal membrane characteristics caused by these toxicants. Considering the concomitant alterations in IPOD, T4, LP and AP it is surmised that thyroid function in C. punctatus is influenced by the pollutants by two pathways, one via IPOD pathway affecting T4 synthesis and the other via lysosomal pathway affecting T4 release.     

Vanadium induced changes in glycogen content of Clarias batrachus (Linn) and Channa punctatus (Bloch)

Clarias batrachus (Linn) and Channa punctatus (Bloch) were exposed to 5, 10 and 15 ppm of vanadium and investigated the effects on tissue glycogen at 3, 6 and 9 hrs. Results indicated the variations in the level of glycogen were highest at 15 ppm after 9 hr exposure in liver than muscle, brain, kidney and heart of Clarias batrachus as compared to Channa punctatus. The variation recorded in tissue glycogen content was discussed in relation to respiratory distress, formation of mucus on the whole fish and disturbed behaviour of the fish.     

Studies on the Blood Glucose Level in Channa punctatus (Bloch.)

The normal blood glucose level of Channa punctatus undergoes a seasonal change. A post-spawning hyperglycemia is found during August, September, October and November. Fish kept out of water show increase in blood glucose level upto 24 hours. When returned to water, the asphyxial hyperglycemia subsides after 24 hours. Starvation does not appear to affect the blood glucose in this fish.     

Dietary niacin requirement of fingerling Channa punctatus (Bloch)

A 16‐week experiment was accomplished to determine the dietary niacin requirement of fingerling Channa punctatus (6.8 ± 0.92 cm; 4.65 ± 0.46 g) by feeding seven casein‐gelatin based isonitrogenous (450 g/kg CP) and isoenergetic (18.39 kJ/g GE) diets with graded levels of niacin (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 mg/kg diet) twice a day to apparent satiation to triplicate groups of fish. Significantly best absolute weight gain (AWG; 38.19 g/fish), feed conversion ratio (FCR; 1.42) and protein retention efficiency (PRE; 26.47%) were registered in fish fed 40 mg niacin/kg diet. Also, fish fed above diet exhibited maximum carcass protein. Hemoglobin (Hb), RBCs counts and hematocrit (Hct) were improved with the incremental levels of dietary niacin up to 40 mg/kg. However, liver niacin content showed the positive correlation up to 50 mg/kg niacin and then leveled off. Fingerling C. punctatus fed niacin‐free diet showed retarded growth, poor feed utilization, high mortality, difficult motion and skin haemorrhage. Broken‐line regression analysis of AWG, FCR and PRE indicated that fingerling C. punctatus require niacin in the range of 37.1–42.1, whereas that of liver niacin concentration indicated the niacin requirement at 52.3 mg/kg dry diet.     

Effect of alloxan administration upon Channa punctatus (Bloch)

Channa punctatus, a fresh water teleost, was administered intramuscularly with alloxan in doses varying between 200 and 600 mg/kg body weight. The course of cytological events occurring in the islets of alloxanized fish was followed over a period of 120 hours post injection. Alloxan caused mild degranulation of some of the beta cells in the beginning but later nuclear pycnosis, vacuolization and necrosis of the beta cells was observed. Like other vertebrates, Channa punctatus is alloxan-sensitive and its islet beta cells are susceptible to the cytotoxic effects of alloxan.     

Further Observations on the Blood Glucose Level in Channa punctatus (Bloch.)

There is a significant rise in the blood glucose level of Channa punctatus following surgical extirpation of the principal islets. The hyperglycemia persists for nearly 30 days in the isletectomized fish. A transient hyperglycemia is exhibited by the sham operated control fish also. If the isletectomized fish are force-fed, a further increase in the blood glucose level is obtained. The force feeding of normal, unoperated fish results in an alimentary hyperglycemia at about 10–24 hours post-prandial.     

Development of the gonads in Channa punctatus Bloch (Osteichthyes: Channidae)

The history of the germ cells is traced from the time of hatching. The germ cells are larger in size and have faintly staining cytoplasm, clear cell outline and a distinct nucleus. They migrate by ameboid movement to reach the genital ridge and aggregate to lie against the gonadal epithelium prior to the formation of gonads. The germ cells are distributed along the gonad primordia. The period of sex differentiation occurs between the 5.4 mm to 12 mm stage. The testis formation is recognized by the presence of germ cell nests and the sperm duct cord. The formation of the ovary is noted by the enlargement of the germ cells of uniform size and the development of the ovarian cavity. The ovaries are described in four stages ranging from 21 mm to 135 mm fish. At 21 mm stage the ovarian cavity is continuous but is obliterated at 35 mm stage due to the projection of the ovigerous lamellae. The common opening for both the ovaries develops at 35 mm stage. The testes are described in four stages ranging from 23 mm to 135 mm fish. They differentiate more slowly and the first maturation division is seen at 90 mm stage.     

Induction of hepatic antioxidants in freshwater catfish (Channa punctatus Bloch) is a biomarker of paper mill effluent exposure

Enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants serve as an important biological defense against environmental oxidative stress. Information on antioxidant defense in fish is meager despite that fish are constantly exposed to a myriad of environmental stress including the oxidants. This study, therefore, assesses the activities of antioxidant enzymes viz., glutathione peroxidase, catalase and glutathione S-transferase and the non-enzymatic antioxidants viz., glutathione and metallothionein in various tissues of freshwater fish Channa punctatus (Bloch), in response to short-term and long-term exposures to paper mill effluent. The fish were exposed to the effluent at a concentration of 1.0% (v/v) for 15, 30, 60 and 90 days. The exposure caused a time-dependent increase in glutathione level (P < 0.001), activities of glutathione peroxidase (P < 0.05 to P < 0.001), glutathione S-transferase (P < 0.001) and a marginal initial decrease in catalase activity in the liver (P < 0.01 to P < 0.001). Metallothionein was induced in liver after 60 days of exposure. Two isoforms of metallothionein were detected. Catalase activity also increased 60 days afterwards. Antioxidant pattern was different in gill and kidney showing that liver was more resistant to oxidative damage as compared to gills and kidney. Our results demonstrate a pollutant-induced adaptive response in fish. In addition, levels of enzymatic and non-enzymatic tissue antioxidants may serve as surrogate markers of exposure to oxidant pollutants in fish.     

Biochemical compartmentation of fish tissues: chronic toxicity of mercuric nitrate on visceral phosphomonoesterases in Channa punctatus (Bloch)

Effect of sub-lethal dose of mercuric nitrate was studied in anterior, middle and posterior regions of kidney, anterior and posterior regions of left and right liver lobes, cephalic, thoracic and caudal regions of muscle and left and right gill tissues of C. punctatus in relation to acid and alkaline phosphatase under chronic studies. Middle region of kidney registered maximum rise and fall of acid and alkaline phosphatase, respectively. Right lobe of liver showed more rise and fall of acid and alkaline phosphatase activity respectively. Similarly, left gill is more pronounced than the right one. The observed enzymatic variations were discussed in relation to the biochemical constituents and physiological coordination rendered by these tissues.     

Effect of chronic non-lethal doses of non-metals and metals on hepatic metallothionein in Channa punctatus (Bloch).

Compared to non-metal toxicants (ammonia, 1.56 ppm; and phenol, 10 ppm), the metals (CdCl2, 30 ppm; HgCl2, 16.7 ppb; and ZnCl2, 6 ppm) significantly induced hepatic metallothionein (MT) concentrations in C. punctatus, exposed independently to non-lethal doses of these toxicants for 28 days. It is suggested that hepatic MT serves as a metal-sequestering protein and is involved in the detoxication of metals only and ensures protection from toxic chemicals in ambience.     

Seasonal reorganization of nitrogen metabolism in an Indian air-breathing teleosts,Channa punctatus (Bloch)

Channa punctatus, an air-breathing freshwater teleost, mobilizes more protein for its energy requirement during summer and spawning months, as revealed by the data on endogenous nitrogen excretion in the form of ammonia-N, urea-N, free amino acids, creatinine and creatine.     

Oxygen uptake through water during early life in Channa punctatus (Bloch) (Pisces; Ophicephaliformes)

Oxygen uptake in relation to body size during the early life of the fish Channa punctatus shows a significant two-component curve: one related to the fully aquatic phase and the other to the bimodal phase of respiration. The onset of the air-breathing habit around the 18–20th day after hatching brings about a 45% drop in O₂ uptake through the gill/skin in water.     

Evaluation of genotoxic and oxidative stress response to dimethoate in freshwater fish Channa punctatus (Bloch)

Abstract

Dimethoate is one of the organophosphate insecticides widely used in agriculture throughout the world and is an inhibitor of cholinesterase in animals. The objective of the present study was to detect oxidative stress and DNA damage induced by dimethoate in the freshwater fish Channa punctatus (C. punctatus). The LC₅₀-96 h value of technical grade dimethoate was estimated at 19.10 μg L^-1 in a semi-static system and, on the basis of the LC₅₀ value, three concentrations were determined. The fish were exposed to these concentrations of dimethoate for 96 h and samplings were done at 24 and 96 h for assessment of oxidative stress and DNA damage. After exposure to dimethoate, the level of superoxide dismutase declined while lipid peroxidation, glutathione, induction of micronucleus and DNA damage were increased in C. punctatus as the concentration and exposure time increased. Thus our results suggest that dimethoate induces genotoxic effects which invariably accompanied and correlated with oxidative stress.     

Effect of streptozotocin on the blood glucose level and histology of the principal islets of Channa punctatus (Bloch).

The effect of streptozotocin, an antibiotic and diabetogenic drug, has been studied on the blood glucose level and islet histology of a freshwater fish, Channa punctatus. The drug elicits a triphasic response in the blood glucose level, comprising an initial hyperglycemia followed by a transient fall, and restitution of normal values 3...4 days after the treatment. Significant degenerative changes occur in the islet beta cells. Severity of the beta cell damage is dose dependent and the drug has been found to be beta-cytotoxic to a considerable extent. Unlike mammals, Channa punctatus does not become diabetic following the streptozotocin administration, at doses varying 200-400 mg/kg b.wqnd over a period of 96 hours post-injection.