Author(s): K Baskaradoss and Pawan Kumar

Abstract: The freshwater catfish Mystus gulio was studied in the present investigation with reference to the biotoxic nature of the spine sheath and epidermal secretions of mucus. The study was carried out in the Biotoxinology laboratory of the Central Institute of Fisheries Education, Mumbai. Live specimens of M. gulio was procured from the Mahalakshmi Fish Market at Mumbai and brought to the laboratory. The study was carried out in the year September, 1997 to August, 1999. The extracts were obtained by direct extraction into petroleum ether and lyophilized. The amount of protein in the crude spine extract and crude mucus extract toxin were found to be 0.42 µg/ml and 0.30 µg/ml respectively. The spine toxin was purified in HPLC fractionated sample injected to mice observed 3 fractions (F2-F4) were lethal whereas obtained from mucus secretion toxin extract did not elicit any lethality to the albino mice. Toxicity of crude spine extracts and crude mucus extract were observed lethal to male albino mice MLD 8+2 min and MLD 120 min at 1 ml dose. Hemolytic activity of crude spine extract indicates induced spontaneous hemolysis of chicken blood. The skin extracts had no hemolytic properties and both the extracts failed to elicit hemagglutination activities. Analgesic activity exhibited moderate level of toxicity when compared to paracetamol. The spine sheath venom appears to have synergistic effect primarily on the cardiovascular system and peripheral neuromuscular transmission. The observed symptoms of toxicity indicate the potential application of biomedicinal utilities on albino mice model. Analgesic activity was measured by Analgesia meter. The reaction time of the animal is the displayed and noted down. Mice without administration of any toxic or known painkillers were used as controls while these injected i.p. with Paracetamol (Crocin 0.25ml and normal saline @0.25ml/20gm, mice served as reference standards. The experiment was conducted in triplicates, each mice receiving a dose of 0.25ml of the toxin i.p, and subjected to a light intensities of 4 units (3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5) Ampheres. And the knowing the optimum dose at this intensity, mice injected i.p, with the same dose were subjected to various light intensities between 5 and 10 with increment of 1 unit. Analgesic activity was expressed as a ratio of reaction time of envenomated mice against those of the control as also those of the mice injected with paracetamol.

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