Deltamethrin-induced oxidative stress and biochemical changes in tissues and blood of catfish (Clarias gariepinus): antioxidant defense and role of alpha-tocopherol

min and Hashem BMC Veterinary Research Deltamethrin-induced oxidative stress and biochemical changes in tissues and blood of catfish (Clarias gariepinus): antioxidant defense and role of alpha-tocopherol Kamal A Amin 0 Khalid S Hashem 0 0 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Biochemistry, Beni Suef University , 62511 Beni Suef , Egypt Background: The pyrethroid class of insecticides, including deltamethrin, is being used as substitutes for organochlorines and organophosphates in pest-control programs because of their low environmental persistence and toxicity. This study was aimed to investigate the impact of commonly used pesticides (deltamethrin) on the blood and tissue oxidative stress level in catfish (Clarias gariepinus); in addition to the protective effect of -tocopherol on deltamethrin induced oxidative stress. Catfish were divided into three groups, 1st control group include 20 fish divided into two tanks each one contain 10 fish, 2nd deltamethrin group, where Fish exposed to deltamethrin in a concentration (0.75 g/l) and 3rd Vitamin E group, Fish exposed to deltamethrin and vitamin E at a dose of 12 g/l for successive 4 days. Serum, liver, kidney and Gills were collected for biochemical assays. Tissue oxidative stress biomarkers malondialdhyde (MDA) and catalase activity in liver, kidney and gills tissues, serum liver enzymes (ALT and AST), serum albumin, total protein, urea and creatinine were analysed. Results: Our results showed that 48 h. exposure to 0.75 g/l deltamethrin significantly (p < 0.05) increased lipid peroxidation (MDA) in the liver, kidney and gills while catalase activity was significantly decreased in the same tissues. This accompanied by significant increase in serum ALT, AST activity, urea and creatinine and a marked decrease in serum albumin and total proteins. Conclusions: It could be concluded that deltamethrin is highly toxic to catfish even in very low concentration (0.75 g/l). Moreover the effect of deltamethrin was pronounced in the liver of catfish in comparison with kidneys and gills. Moreover fish antioxidants and oxidative stress could be used as biomarkers for aquatic pollution, thus helping in the diagnosis of pollution. Adminstration of 12 g/l -tocopherol restored the quantified tissue and serum parameters, so supplementation of -tocopherol consider an effective way to counter the toxicity of deltamethrin in the catfish. Deltamethrin; Clarias gariepinus; Egypt; Oxidative biomarkers; Catalase; Malondialdhyde; -tocopherol - Background For centuries, pesticides have been used in agriculture to enhance food production by eradicating unwanted insects and controlling disease vectors. Among common pesticides are organophosphorus compounds which are widely used in agriculture, medicine and industry. The main advantages of pyrethroids that made it successively replacing organophosphrus pesticides are their photostability, high effectiveness even in low concentration, easily disintegration, and low toxicity in birds and mammals [1]. Fish and various other aquatic organisms are extremely susceptible to pyrethroids as the 96 h Lc50 value determined in laboratory tests, generally lies below 10 g/l. In addition, deltamethrin is based on pyrethroids that have established significantly lower rates of metabolism and removal in fish than those recorded for birds and mammals [2]. Effluents of agricultural and industrial processes contain highly toxic chemicals like pesticides that lead to pollution of aquatic environments including rivers, ponds and lakes. The accumulation and persistence of insecticide and pesticides in the aquatic environment constitute a threat to biological life, as witnessed by the chronic and acute poisoning of fish and other aquatic organisms [3]. Deltamethrin has very good residual activity for outdoor uses and for indoor uses; it has a high toxicity to fish under laboratory environment. However, in field conditions under normal conditions of use, fish may not harmed. Deltamethrin had an impact on aquatic herbivorous insects. This impact led to an increase of algae. The World Health Organisation reported that roughly 3 million cases of pesticide poisoning occur annually that result in 22 000 deaths worldwide. Many of these chemicals are mutagenic [4] linked to the development of cancers or may lead to development deficits [5]. Clarias species are air breathing fishes due to the presence of accessory assistant respiratory organs beside the gills enabling it to survive for long time outside the water, otherwise debilitating hypoxic environments [6]. Catfish Clarias is freshwater, belonging to the genus Clarias. There are 32 species of catfish belonging to genus Clarias are known in Africa. Clarias lazera and Clarias gariepinus are the most popular members of the inland water fishes found in Egypt. Clarias lazera is known locally as karmout and is commonly found in Lake Nasser and all Nile branches and streams [7]. These species are tolerant to a wide range of water and laboratory conditions and has detritivorous behaviour. This means that the fish can be in contact with xenobiotics from different ways of interacting with algae from stone or sediment. These characteristics make this particular species an interesting model for ecotoxicological and biochemical studies. Moreover Catfish are valuable bio-indicators of contamination because of their large distribution, being open swimmers, capacity to react against ecological pollution and food source for human. The long-term biological hazards associated with the use of organochloride, organophosphate and carbamate pesticides propelled the introduction of a new generation of pesticides with a lesser degree of persistence. In this direction, the use of pyrethroids as insecticidal and antiparasitic formulations has markedly increased as a viable substitute and account for over 30% of insecticides used globally [8]. Deltamethrin [((s)-a-cyano-3-phenoxybenzyl(R1-R2)-3(2,2 dibromvinyl)-2,2 dimethylcyclo-propancarboxylate] is one of the most important widely used pyrethroids pesticide and insecticides, since the application of pyrethroid as insecticide and antiparasitary preparations has been accepted on a large scale for agricultural purposes and very markedly increased during last 1015 years; even though it is already known that this insecticide is highly toxic to fish and various other aquatic organisms [9]. The presence of low deltamethrin concentration in water has sublethal effects such as altered energy metabolism and ionic regulation. It is a synthetic type two of pyrethroids, which has a wide range of application in industrial and agricultural purposes. It is also used as an alternative pesticide in animal health, in vector control, and in public health [10]. Among the most commonly used biomarkers, those related to oxidative stress assume an important position, being frequently used both in environmental monitoring and laboratory assays [11]. Ra (...truncated)