To assess the ameliorative effects of Moringa oleifera (MO) leaf extract on haematological and biochemical changes, liver DNA damage and oxidative stress biomarkers in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) exposed to a sublethal concentration (0.52 mg/l) of pendimethalin (PM). Tilapia fish were allocated into four equal groups in tri-replicates as follows: first group was the control group, second group was treated with MO (20 ml/30 l water), third group was exposed to 0.52 mg PM/l and fourth group was exposed to 0.52 mg PM/l and treated with MO leaf extract (20 ml/30 l water) for 28 days. At the end of this period, blood and liver tissue samples were collected and haematological and biochemical changes, hepatic DNA fragmentation and oxidative stress biomarkers were analysed. Pendimethalin caused significant reduction in haematological profile [White blood cells (WBCs) and red blood cells (RBCs) counts, haemoglobin (Hb) concentration and haematocrit (Ht) level]; meanwhile, serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), creatinine, uric acid, glucose, cortisol, cholesterol and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were significantly increased. On the other hand, serum total protein, albumin, globulin and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) were decreased. Significant reduction in hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) levels and marked increments of hepatic malondialdehyde (MDA) and DNA fragmentation were observed in PM-exposed fish compared to the control group. The addition of Moringa oleifera leaf extract into the water could overcome the negative impacts of pendimethalin and normalise the examined parameters nearly to the control values. Moringa oleifera was used for the first time to protect tilapia fish against PM-induced toxicity. The present study revealed that Moringa oleifera has potent antioxidant and antigenotoxic actions against pendimethalin toxicity.

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The present study was planned aiming to investigate the effects of atrazine herbicide exposure on stress biomarkers acetylcholinesterase activity (AchE) and cortisol, oxidative stress responses and the histopathological changes in liver of female Clarias gariepinus and the ameliorative effect of vitamin E supplementation (240mg/kg diet) on the degree of atrazine sublethal toxicity (1.37mg/l) for 6 weeks. Chronic exposure to atrazine revealed a marked inhibition in the activity of AchE. But, significant increase of serum cortisol level was recorded. Moreover, atrazine exposure was associated with a marked induction of oxidative damage in liver tissue as evidenced by increased level of lipid peroxidation (LPO) and reduced glutathione (GSH) content. Atrazine exposure also led to a significant increase in the activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD).Furthermore, histopathological examination of the liver of exposed fish showed dilatation and congestion of blood vessels, fatty degeneration, necrosis and pyknotic nuclei of hepatocytes. However, fish fed diet supplemented with vitamin E exhibited protective effect by minimizing the atrazine-induced toxicity, through measured values more or less similar to the control group fish.

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