Pantnagar Journal of Research

Abstract

The potential hemotoxic effect of the commonly utilized antibiotic metronidazole (MTZ) was investigated in the common carp (Cyprinus carpio). The fish were exposed to sublethal concentrations of MTZ, 5 mg/L and 10 mg/L in water for duration of 96 hours along with one control group. No macroscopic pathology or death of fish was observed at these concentrations. Various hematological parameters were evaluated, including Hemoglobin (Hb), Packed Cell Volume (PCV), Red blood cell (RBC), White blood cell (WBC), Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH), Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), and Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC). Under the tested concentrations, MTZ- exposed fish at 5 mg/L dosage exhibited a gradual increase in Hb and RBC values, while a decrease in values of WBC, PCV, MCV, MCH and MCHC from control to 96 hours was observed. However, the fish exposed at 10mg/L dosage exhibited a gradual increase in RBC, MCHC values, while a variation in values in Hb, WBC, PCV, MCV and MCHC from control to 96 hours was seen. Moreover, hematological parameters have the potential to act as appropriate biomarkers for assessing fish health and can be utilized as bio-indicators in environmental bio-monitoring.