INFLUENCE OF HEAVY METALS ON BIOCHEMICAL AND METABOLIC BIOMARKERS OF INDIAN MAJOR CARP, LABEO ROHITA

The Indian Major Carp fish, Labeo rohita, were exposed to 1/10 th sub lethal concentrations of three heavy metals – Cadmium chloride (CdCl 2 ), Lead chloride (PbCl 2 ) and Mercuric chloride (HgCl 2 ) for a period of 3, 7, 15. 30 and 45days to study the effect of three heavy metals stress on various biochemical and metabolic enzymes. The glycogen contents in gill, liver and muscle tissues of Labeo rohitha, under heavy metals stress, were found to be decreased. The maximum percentage decrease (-48.31) was observed on day 45, in liver tissue under mercuric chloride intoxication only. The succinate dehydrogenase (SDH, -56.898), malate dehydrogenase (MDH, -50.209), cytochrome C- oxidase (-38.34) and protein (-51.45) contents in three tissues were gradually decreased whereas lactate dehydrogenase (LDH, +78.623), aspartate aminotransferase (AAT, +35.415) and alanine aminotransferase (AlAT, +61.734) showed a constant elevation throught the experimental period of 45days under the treatment of heavy metals intoxicated fish. It is observed that the increased/ decreased percentage was much pronounced by HgCl2 in liver tissues of various exposure periods in particular. The observed variations have assumed that the fish yields high energy demand to over come the stress indicated by the existence of hypoproteinamea in all tissues of fish.