Acute Toxicity of Water Soluble Fraction of Crude Oil to the Early Life Stages of the African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus)

This study evaluated the Nephrotoxic effect of water soluble fraction (WSF) of Bonny Light Crude Oil (BLCO). After preparation of the WSF and a range finding test, the Wistar albino rats were administered three concentrations (25%, 50% and 100%) of WSF of BLCO for 30 and 60days. Data from the study showed that Urea concentration increased significantly (p≤0.05) with increasing dose of BLCO ranging from 14.71 mg/dl in the control to 35.28 mg/dl in the 100% group after 30days and 14.28 mg/dl in the control to 41.08mg/dl in the 100% group after 60days, Creatinine concentration increased significantly (p≤0.05) from 0.22 mg/dl in the control to 0.82mg/dl in the 100% group after 60 days administration while electrolyte (Na, K, Cl) concentration increased significantly (p≤0.05) with increasing dose of BLCO after 60days administration. Histopathological examination of the kidney was characterized by partial partitioning of the glomerular tufts, obliteration of the Bowman’s capsule and distortion of the renal tubules. The findings in this research suggest that WSF of BLCO induced nephrotoxicity.

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Pathways for urea production during early life of an air-breathing teleost, the African catfish Clarias gariepinus Burchell

Journal of Experimental Biology ◽

10.1242/jeb.204.12.2155 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 204 (12) ◽

pp. 2155-2165 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Bendik F. Terjesen ◽

Terry D. Chadwick ◽

Johan A. J. Verreth ◽

Ivar Rønnestad ◽

Patricia A. Wright

Keyword(s):

Early Development ◽

Early Life ◽

Developmental Stages ◽

Clarias Gariepinus ◽

African Catfish ◽

Life Stages ◽

Carbamoyl Phosphate ◽

Experimental Conditions ◽

Air Breathing ◽

Urea Production

SUMMARY Embryos and larvae of the African catfish Clarias gariepinus excrete significant quantities of urea. The present study focused on the potential urea-generating pathways during early development of this teleost; uricolysis, argininolysis and the ornithine–urea cycle (OUC). Uricase, allantoinase, allantoicase and ureidoglycollate lyase of the uricolytic pathway were expressed in all early life stages and in adult liver of C. gariepinus. Uricase activity increased in starved larvae compared with yolk-sac larvae. The key regulatory enzyme of the teleost OUC, carbamoyl phosphate synthetase III (CPSase III), was expressed predominantly in muscle of developing C. gariepinus larvae and showed negligible activity in the absence of its allosteric effector N-acetyl-l-glutamate. CPSase III and ornithine carbamoyl transferase activities increased in fed larvae compared with starved larvae. In contrast to the early developmental stages, adult C. gariepinus expressed only low and variable levels of CPSase III, suggesting that, under the experimental conditions employed, OUC expression is influenced by developmental stage in this species. The data indicate that early C. gariepinus life stages express the enzymes necessary for urea production by uricolysis, argininolysis and the OUC, and this may explain why urea tissue levels and urea excretion rates are substantial during the early development of this air-breathing teleost.

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