Effect of an amalgamated antibiotic and its connection to cyto-genotoxicity and histo-architectural malformations in stinging catfish

Abstract

Intensive fish farming has an excessive prevalence of infection and is typically controlled by the administration of antibiotics. Although amalgamated antibiotics are a relatively novel therapeutic idea and more effective than traditional antibiotic monotherapy, they can also have a toxic effect on the fish body when it is administered abruptly. This study investigated the cyto-genotoxic effects on erythrocytes and histo-architectural malformations in the liver and kidneys of stinging catfish (Heteropneustes fossilis) in relation to Enrocip plus use as an amalgamated antibiotic agent. The experimental fish with an initial average weight of 17.38 ± 1.94 g were divided into four treatment groups with antibiotic doses: according to the recommendation of the manufacturer 0.167 mg/ml Enrocip plus was used as a standard dose (x) and it was treated as T3, while 0% of the standard dose (0× mg/ml), 1/2× (0.083 mg/ml), and 2× (0.333 mg/ml) were treated as T1, T2 and T4, respectively for a period of 30 days. The observed erythrocyte cellular deformities (ECD) were twin, tear-drop, serrated, tail budded and de-membranated cells, whereas the erythrocyte nuclear deformities (END) were a nuclear bridge, bi-nucleus, nuclear termination, karyopyknosis, and micronucleus at different concentrations of Enrocip plus. Both ECD and END percentages experienced the interaction of antibiotic dose and exposure time, and were significantly different (P < 0.01). Significant changes in hepatocytes, mild to severe necrosis, vacuole formation, and hepatopancreas damage were also observed in the liver of the treated fish whereas highly degraded renal tubules and hematopoietic tissue, glomerular occlusion, and vacuolation were evident in the kidneys. The current investigation fully emphasizes the adverse effects of amalgamated antibiotics on the cyto-genotoxicity and the histomorphology of the kidneys and liver of fish. Thus, the use of an amalgamated antibiotic in aquaculture must be carefully evaluated.