Effect of estradiol dipropionate and testosterone propionate on the glycogen, lipid, and water contents of liver, muscle, and gonad of male and female (vitellogenic and nonvitellogenic) Singi fish ( Heteropneustes fossilis bloch)

Abstract

Daily injections of estrogen given in doses of 0.5, 1, 2, or 4 μg/g for 7 consecutive days reduced the glycogen and enhanced the lipid and water contents of liver of male and female (vitellogenic and nonvitellogenic) Singi fish. All doses of estrogen produced similar reductions in glycogen and increases in lipid content of livers of male and nonvitellogenic female fish, but in vitellogenic females, the highest doses caused the strongest decreases in glycogen levels (dose dependent at 2 μg/g or less) and the strongest increases in lipid levels (dose dependent at 0.5 μg/g or less). The increase in water content was more marked with doses of 2 and 4 μg/g than with 0.5 and 1 μg/g in male and vitellogenic female fish. In nonvitellogenic females, all doses produced similar increases in water content. Testosterone injections (0.5, 1, 2, and 4 μg/g) given for 7 consecutive days significantly enhanced the glycogen content but not the lipid and water content of livers of male and female Singi fish. In male and nonvitellogenic female fish the highest doses caused the largest increases in glycogen content (dose dependent at 1 μg/g or less). In vitellogenic female fish the increase in liver glycogen was higher with 2 and 4 μg/g than with 0.5 and 1 μg/g. Both estrogen and testosterone failed to cause any significant alteration in glycogen, lipid, and water contents of muscle and gonad of male and female fish.