Journal of Environmental Biology

Alterations of biochemical parameters in malformed Indian

rice frogs, Rana limnocharis from Southern Taiwan

Author Details

Yuh-Wen Chiu

Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, Kaohsiung Medical University,

Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan, ROC

Shu-Yin Wang

Department of Animal Science, Chinese Culture University, Yang Ming Shan, Taipei 111, Taiwan,

Republic of China

Jui-Pin Wu

Environmental Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Geography, National Taiwan University,

Taipei 106, Taiwan, Republic of China

Da-Ji Huang

(Corresponding author)

Department of Environmental Resources Management, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and

Science, Tainan 71710, Taiwan, Republic of China

e-mail: daji@ms19.hinet.net

Publication Data

Paper received:

08 May 2010

Revised received:

11 October 2010

Accepted:

20 November 2010

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors that cause malformed frogs in upstream Kaoping river (KP site) and Tungkang river (T site) of Southern Taiwan.? In this experiment, the activities of monooxygenase (MO), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), acetylcholinesterase (AchE) as well as the concentration of vitellogenin (Vg) in the liver were measured. Results show that activities of MO, GST and AchE, and Vg levels in normal frogs (male/female) were 0.09?0.02/0.09?0.01 DA min^-1 mg^-1 protein, 0.12?0.04/0.13?0.04DA min^-1 mg^-1 protein, 6.13?2.69/6.01?2.09 U mg^-1 protein and 0.87?0.42/2.18?0.50 mg mg^-1 protein, respectively. Activities of MO, GST and AchE, and Vg levels in malformed frogs (male/female) were 0.15?0.04/0.21?0.07DA min^-1 mg^-1 protein, 0.27?0.08/0.30?0.12DA min^-1 mg^-1 protein, 4.59?2.71/5.19?3.74 U mg^-1 protein and 1.46?0.61/3.15?0.88mg mg^-1 protein, respectively in KP site, and were 0.16?0.69/0.18?0.07DA min^-1 mg^-1 protein, 0.21?0.07/0.24?0.08DA min^-1 mg^-1 protein, 5.13?4.58/3.94?1.33 U mg^-1 protein and 2.23?1.47/4.11?1.63 mg mg^-1 protein, respectively in T site. These results indicate that male and female malformed frogs in both rivers upstream are found with higher activities.? No significant difference in AchE activity was found between normal and malformed frogs in this investigation. It is therefore reasonable to speculate that the organic chemicals released from agricultural activities are presumable the main factors that lead to the malformation of frogs.

Key words

Malformed frog, Monooxygenase, Glutathione-S-transferase, Acetylcholinesterase, Vitellogenin, Indian rice frog (Rana limnocharis)

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