Journal of Environmental Biology

Endosulfan induced changes in phospholipids in the freshwater female catfish, Heteropneustes fossilis (Bloch)

Pratap B. Singh* and Vandana Singh

*pratap_b_singh@rediffmail.com

Department of Zoology, Tilak Dhari College, Jaunpur-222 002, India

(Received: June 13, 2005 ; Revised received: October 20, 2005 ; Accepted: January 02, 2006)

Abstract: The catfish, H. fossilis were exposed to endosulfan for 30 days at sub-lethal concentration (0.002 ppm) during different phases of its annual reproductive cycle. Its impact on total (TP) and different phospholipids- phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatdylinositol (PI) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) were measured in liver, plasma and ovary. On pesticide exposure, during preparatory phase, the hepatic TP, PC and PE were declined. The plasma levels of TP, PC and PS were declined with the elevation of PE whereas in ovary only PC was lowered after endosulfan exposure. During pre-spawning phase, the hepatic TP, PC and PE declined in liver, plasma and ovary after endosulfan exposure. During spawning phase, only plasma and ovarian phospholipids showed decrease in their levels following endosulfan exposure. In the post-spawning phase, endosulfan elevated the levels of TP, PC and PS in ovary but had no effect on their levels in liver and plasma. During resting phase, the TP, PC and PI were found to be decreasing its levels. Thus it appears that this pesticide interfere with phospholipids metabolism during annual reproductive cycle of this species.

Key words:   Endosulfan, Insecticide, Phospholipids metabolism, Fish reproduction

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