Behavior and histopathology as biomarkers for evaluation of the effects of paracetamol and propranolol in the neotropical fish species Phalloceros harpagos

Abstract

Pharmaceutical drugs in the aquatic environment can induce adverse effects on nontarget organisms. This study aimed to assess the short-term effects of sublethal concentrations of both paracetamol and propranolol on the fish Phalloceros harpagos, specifically light/dark preference, swimming patterns, skin pigmentation, histopathology, and liver glycogen levels. Fish were acutely exposed to sublethal concentrations of both paracetamol (0.008, 0.08, 0.8, 8, 80 mg L) and propranolol (0.0001, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1 mg L) under controlled conditions. For scototaxis, a significant preference for the dark compartment was observed for the group exposed to the highest concentration of paracetamol (80 mg L). Propranolol exposure significantly altered the swimming pattern, especially in fish exposed to the 0.001 mg L concentration. Pigmentation was reduced in propranolol-exposed fish (0.1, 1 mg L). The lowest concentration of propranolol (0.0001 mg L) induced a decrease of histochemical reaction for hepatic glycogen. These data demonstrate that pharmaceuticals can induce sublethal effects in nontarget organisms, even at low concentrations, compromising specific functions of the individual with ecological relevance, such as energy balance and behavior.

Neurotoxic and respiratory effects of human use drugs on a Neotropical fish species, Phalloceros harpagos

“…The decrease in lactate dehydrogenase activity observed in the present study may have occurred because the organism may have favored the use of the aerobic route for energy production , suggesting that the energy balance of aerobic processes was enough to supply the metabolism of the fish under study. This suggestion is supported by the study conducted by Matus et al (2018), who analyzed the behavior, tegumentary staining and glycogen reserves in the liver of P. harpagos during acute exposure to the same concentrations of paracetamol.…”

“…This species presents favorable features for its laboratory use, such as high sensitivity to environmental contaminants, availability and abundance in its habitat, easy capture and adaptation to laboratory conditions, being representative of the neotropical environment. These features turn it into a good candidate for ecotoxicological studies (COSTA et al, 2008;PEREIRA et al, 2018;MATUS et al, 2018).…”

Ultrastructure and regulation of color change in blue spots of leopard coral trout Plectropomus leopardus

“…Furtherly, it has now been established that the nervous control of chromatophores in teleosts is exerted by the sympathetic system ( 50 ) and NE, a neurotransmitter of the sympathetic fibers, is believed to be responsible for signal transmission and leads to pigment aggregation ( 23 , 42 , 52 – 59 ). In our present study, after being treated with NE, the black spots on the excised skin changed to blue color, demonstrating that the color of spots are regulated by sympathetic nerves, and the neurotransmitter NE plays an role in regulating malanophores aggregation to make spots appear blue.…”

Multiple Biomarker Responses in Female Catfish (Clarias Gariepinus) Exposed to Acetaminophen

“…Several reports has shown that Acetaminophen can act as potential endocrine disruptor, induce oxidative stress, hepatotoxic, neurotoxic and disrupt physiological process in exposed aquatic organism; hindering the usual embryonic development, growth, behaviour and survival of Daino rerio and Clarias gariepinus larvae (David andPancharatna 2009, Erhunmwunse et al, 2021). Sublethal concentrations altered swimming behaviour, pigmentation and energy balance in Phalloceros harpagos (Matus et al, 2018). Sublethal concentrations induced endocrine disruption and altered the liver structure in male sh Rhamdia quelen (Guiloski et al, 2017); induced oxidative stress in Clarias gariepinus (Folarin et al, 2018;Yakubu et al, 2020).…”