Author(s): PJ Jayasree, N Sumi and KC Chitra

Abstract: The neurotoxic effect of octylphenol was determined on the brain tissue of the tilapian fish, Oreochromis niloticus. Fishes were exposed to octylphenol at sublethal concentration, i.e., 50.6 µg/L for 24, 48, 72 and 96 h duration along with control groups. Octylphenol treatment showed no significant changes in the body weight and the weight of brain tissues. Exposure to octylphenol showed significant (P<0.05) increase in the activity of superoxide dismutase after 48 h. However, the activities of catalase and glutathione reductase showed significant (P<0.05) reduction in all treatment groups in time-dependent manner. The biochemical estimation of the levels of lipid peroxidation and hydrogen peroxide generation showed a significant increase in all treatment groups and this could be due to generation of reactive oxygen species in brain tissues. There was a significant decrease in the activity of acetylcholinesterase in the brain and blood serum after 48 h indicating neurotoxicity due to octylphenol treatment. Histological changes like atrophy, infiltration and neuronal cell degeneration were also observed in the brain tissues of the treated groups. Therefore, the present study suggests that octylphenol induced neurotoxicity by impairing the antioxidant status and also affects the histomorphology of brain tissues in the freshwater fish, Oreochromis niloticus.

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