EFFECTS OF ACUTE TOXICITY OF CARBOFURAN ON THE VITELLOGENIN LEVEL IN THE FRESHWATER STINGING CATFISH Heteropneustes fossilis

The present study aimed at investigating the effects of acute Carbofuran (CF) toxicity on the vitellogenin (VTG) level in the serum of freshwater stinging catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis. At the outset, the fishes were exposed to five different acute toxic concentrations of Carbofuran viz. 0.408, 0.816, 1.631, 3.262 and 6.524 mg/l for 96 hours. A solvent control was also maintained without Carbofuran. After 96 hours, blood samples were taken from the concentrations in which fishes were alive i.e. the first three concentrations and also from the control and serum was separated. Later, the Vitellogenin level was estimated following the standard procedure. In the solvent control, the mean VTG level was recorded to be 28.50±1.56 ng/ml for male 306.25±2.39 ng/ml for female. However, the mean VTG level increased to 212.50±1.44, 242.50±1.44 and 290.00±2.04 ng/ml in male fish and decreased to 287.50±3.23, 268.75±2.39 and 242.50±3.23 ng/ml in female fish exposed to 0.408, 0.816 and 1.631 mg/l CF respectively. The one way ANOVA clearly showed that the variation of VTG content in solvent control and CF exposed groups was significant (P<0.05) for both male and female. In addition, Post Hoc multiple comparisons made showed that there was a highly significant difference between treatments at 5% level (P<0.05). Ultimately, the study revealed that the degree of distortion of the VTG was in proportion to the concentration of the CF, i.e., dose dependent.