Mapping a Climate Change Vulnerability Index: An Assessment in Agricultural, Geological and Demographic Sectors across the Districts of Karnataka (India)

Climate change is a continuous phenomenon and over hundreds of years, the atmosphere has changed considerably around the world. Karnataka has the second largest drought prone area in the country next only to Rajasthan. Assessment of vulnerability index could play a major role in designing appropriate mitigation and adaptation policies to overcome the impacts of climate change. The vulnerability assessment is an exhaustive procedure determined by a large number of indicators. This study attempted to capture a picture of composite vulnerability index of different districts of Karnataka by considering agronomic, climatic and demographic indicators. The secondary data on climatic, agronomic and demographic factors were collected from various sources for the year 2017-18. The findings of the study as shown that the average vulnerability index for 30 districts is 0.577 and 16 districts placed above the average composite vulnerability index level. Bidar (0.655) is the most vulnerable district followed by Kolar (0.658) and Yadgir (0.638) districts. Shivamogga (0.440), Davanagere (0.486) and Udupi (0.486) districts exhibit the least vulnerability to changing climate. The results suggest that agricultural and climatic indicators are the major factors which influence vulnerability. So special attention should be given to agricultural and climatic sectors to minimize the impacts of climatic change in the most vulnerable districts.

A Study on Correlation of External Auditory Canal Dimensions and Endoscopic Tympanoplasty in a Tertiary Health Care Centre

Introduction: Endoscopic tympanoplasty is a minimalinvasive surgery, causing minimal trauma to healthy tissue.The other advantages are speculum which narrows canal canbe avoided, there is no frequent tilting of head, no seepageof blood into graft bed and no fear of perichondritis. Currentresearch aimed to study the advantages and disadvantagesof endoscopic tympanoplasty and to study the limits andlimitations of endoscopic tympanoplasty in relation to theanatomy and disease.Material and Methods: This study includes evaluating 35cases of endoscopic tympanoplasty with follow up period of 4months study was prospective study performed. Patient of age(18-50years) and both sexes with CSOM inactive stage withconductive deafness who require surgical intervention wereincluded in our study and patients with the External auditorycanal width is less than 6 mm were excluded in this study.Results: In our Study out of 35 patients, 8 (23%) patientsshowed Small Central Perforation, 4 cases showing perforationin antero-inferior quadrant and 4 cases showing perforationin postero-inferior quadrant), 19 (54%) patients showed largecentral perforation and the remaining 8 (23%) showed SubTotal Perforation.Conclusion: The Trans-canal endoscopic tympanoplasty isthe procedure of choice for chronic suppurative otitis mediaof tubo-tympanic type in inactive stage (Inactive mucosalchronic otitis media) with Grade 2 and Grade 3 canals.

Demographic and Clinical Features of Left Atrial Tumors in South Indian Population: A Case Series

Myxomas are the most common type of primary cardiac tumor. They cause a variety of clinical manifestations depending on size and anatomical location. Sometimes, manifestations are atypical challenging differential diagnosis and the therapeutic approach. Left atrial myxomas are commonly missed clinically and often lead to grave consequences. We present here a series of 6 cases of left atrial myxomas with demographic and clinical characterization of the patients that were managed successfully.

Nanoemulsified ethanolic extract of Pyllanthus amarus Schum & Thonn ameliorates CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity in Wistar rats.

Phyllanthus amarus (PA) is commonly used in traditional medicine for hepatoprotectivity. The major limitation is that, treatment requires a large quantity of herbal extract for a longer duration. Aim of the present study was to encapsulate ethanolic plant extract for sustained release of constituents in intestine and facilitate maximum absorption. The efficacy was compared for the hepatoprotective activity of nanoencapsulated ethanolic extract of P. amarus (NPA) and PA in carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) induced hepatotoxic male rats. Based on total phenol content (TPC), the loading efficiency of nanocapsules was 89% (pH 7.0) and optimum concentration was 2:18 (mg/mL) for plant extract: olive oil. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed a spherical morphology, photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS) identified mean particle diameter as 213 nm and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) revealed that the phytoconstituents were stable. An oral dose of NPA (20 mg/kg body wt.) showed a better hepatoprotective activity than PA (100 mg/kg body wt.) and also repeated dose oral toxicity proved to be safe. These biochemical assessments were supported by rat biopsy examinations. In conclusion, the nanoemulsification method may be applied for poor water-soluble ethanolic herbal extracts to reduce the dosage and time.

Anton’s Syndrome and Cortical Blindness.

Introduction: Anton’s syndrome is a condition where the patient is unaware of being blind and denies the problem even when it is pointed out to him. On the contrary, in cortical blindness patient is aware of his blindness and does not deny it. In both, bilateral lesions of the occipital lobes are seen. Case presentation: We present two cases of cortical blindness, Case 1 being consistent with diagnosis of Anton’s syndrome where patient denied of her blindness. Both cases revealed bilateral occipital lobe infarcts. Conclusions: Cerebrovascular disease is the most common cause of cortical blindness. These occur as a result of successive infarctions as seen in Case 1 or from a single embolic or thrombotic occlusion as seen in Case 2. First case is Anton’s syndrome with patient denying blindness, whereas second case is cortical blindness. It is due to involvement of other cortical centers in Anton’s syndrome that patient denies blindness.

IgG subclass responses to proinflammatory fraction of Brugia malayi in human filariasis.

Background & objectives: Earlier we demonstrated that immunization with F6, a proinflammatory molecular fraction isolated from the human filarial parasite Brugia malayi, protected the host and eliminated the infection in Mastomys coucha by a Th1/Th2 response including IgG2a antibody response. Whether F6 molecules become accessible to human host during natural course of infection and elicit similar response is not known. The present study was undertaken to determine the profile of IgG subclasses specifically reactive to F6 in different categories of bancroftian filariasis cases to infer any relationship between the levels of a particular F6-specific IgG subclass and the infection or disease status. Methods: Serum samples of normal individuals from filariasis non-endemic regions of India like Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, and Chandigarh [(NEN-W; n=10), healthy subjects from USA (NEN-U; n=10) and three categories of bancroftian filariasis cases from endemic areas: endemic normals (EN; n=10) with no symptoms and no microfilariae, asymptomatic microfilaremics (ASM; n=10) and chronic symptomatic amicrofilaremics (CL; n=10) were assayed for F6-specific IgG1, IgG2, IgG3 and IgG4 by ELISA using SDS-PAGE-isolated F6 fraction of B. malayi adult worms. Results: Significantly high levels of F6-specific IgG1, IgG2 and IgG3 were found in CL (P<0.001) and EN (P<0.01-0.001) bancroftian filariasis cases compared to NEN-U. Significant levels of F6-specific IgG1 (P<0.01) and IgG2 (P<0.01) but not IgG3 were found in ASM cases compared to NEN-U. The most abundant was IgG2 which when compared to NEN-U, was significantly high in CL (P<0.001) and EN cases (P<0.001), followed by ASM (P<0.01). F6-specific IgG4 response in EN, ASM and CL subjects was not significantly different from the levels of NEN-U. Among the non-endemic normals, the NEN-W subjects showed significant reactivity with IgG2 (P<0.001) but not with IgG1, IgG3 and IgG4 as compared to NEN-U subjects. IgG subclass levels were different in different categories. Interpretation & conclusions: The high levels of F6 reactive IgG1, IgG2 and IgG3 in endemic normals and chronic symptomatic bancroftian patients, and IgG1 and IgG2 in asymptomatic microfilaraemics, suggest that F6 molecules of parasite are accessible in these subjects for IgG subclass-specific immune response and IgG2 may be related to pathogenesis. Studies using individual F6 molecules will be done to identify the molecule(s) involved in infection and protective immunity.

Mechanism of anti-diabetic action, efficacy and safety profile of GII purified from fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graceum Linn.) seeds in diabetic animals.

Mechanism of action of GII (100 mg/kg body weight, po for 15 days) purified from fenugreek (T. foenum-graecum) seeds was studied in the sub-diabetic and moderately diabetic rabbits. In the sub-diabetic rabbits it did not change much the content of total lipids, glycogen and proteins in the liver, muscle and heart (glycogen was not studied in the heart). However, in the moderately diabetic rabbits same treatment decreased total lipids more in the liver (21%) than those in the heart and muscle. Total protein content increased (14%) in the liver but negligible change (5-7%) was observed in heart and muscle. Glycogen increased (17%) in the liver but not in the muscle of the moderately diabetic rabbits (glycogen was not estimated in the heart). Among the enzymes of glycolysis, activity of glucokinase was not affected in the liver of both the sub-diabetic and moderately diabetic rabbits. Phosphofructokinase and pyruvate kinase activity in both sub-diabetic and moderately diabetic rabbits increased (13-50%) indicating stimulation of glycolysis. The activity of gluconeogenic enzymes glucose-6-phosphatase and fructose-1,6-diphosphatase of the sub-diabetic rabbits decreased in the liver (15-20%) but not in the kidneys. In the moderately diabetic rabbits after treatment with GII, glucokinase in the liver was not affected much (-9%) but increased well in the muscle (40%). Phosphofructokinase and pyruvate kinase were moderately increased both in the liver and the muscle (18-23%). The gluconeogenic enzyme glucose-6-phosphatase decreased reasonably well in the liver and kidneys (22, 32%). Fructose-1,6-diphosphatase decreased only slightly (10, 9%) in the moderately diabetic rabbits. Thus GII seems to decrease lipid content of liver and stimulate the enzymes of glycolysis (except glucokinase) and inhibit enzymes of gluconeogenesis in the liver of the diabetic especially moderately diabetic rabbits.

Anti-hyperglycemic compound (GII) from fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum Linn.) seeds, its purification and effect in diabetes mellitus.

An anti-hyperglycemic compound named GII was purified from the water extract of the seeds of fenugreek (T. foenum-graecum) and shown to be different from trigonelline and nicotinic acid isolated earlier from the same plant. GII (50 mg/kg body weight, po) reduced blood glucose in glucose tolerance test (GTT) in the sub-diabetic and moderately diabetic rabbits and significantly reduced the area under the curve (AUC) of GTT. Treatment for 7 days of the sub-diabetic rabbits with GII (50 mg/kg body weight, po) improved glucose tolerance without reducing fasting blood glucose (FBG) which was nearly normal. The results suggest that there is no risk of hypoglycemia in near normal animals (may be humans also) with abnormal GTT. Treatment of the moderately diabetic rabbits with GII (100 mg/kg body weight for 3 weeks) reduced FBG to nearly normal value and improved GTT. GII was more effective than the standard drug tolbutamide. Intermittent therapy given on days 1–5, 11–15, 26–30 and 56–60 to moderately diabetic rabbits leaving in between days without treatment brought down FBG to normal and AUC during GTT was normal. After 15 days treatment with GII (100 mg/kg body weight for 3 weeks) glycosylated hemoglobin came down and insulin increased to normal values in the sub-diabetic, moderately diabetic and severely diabetic rabbits. GII treatment (100 mg/kg body weight for 15 days) brought down all the altered serum lipids (TC, HDLC, TAG, PLs and FFAs) to normal levels. The results suggest that intermittent therapy, instead of daily therapy is possible and GII has good potential as an oral anti-diabetic drug with intermittent therapy.

Tobacco cessation services in India: Recent developments and the need for expansion.

Tobacco use is a major cause of preventable death and disease in India. Unfortunately, very few people in India quit tobacco use. Lack of awareness of harm, ingrained cultural attitudes, and lack of support for cessation maintains tobacco use in the community. The significant addictive property of nicotine makes quitting difficult and relapse common. Health professionals have received little training, and very few thus carry out proper assessments and interventions among tobacco users. Evidence from the developed countries suggests that brief interventions delivered by diverse health professionals are effective in tobacco cessation. Combining pharmacologic approaches with behavioral counseling produces better results than a single strategy. In India, early experiences with tobacco cessation occurred in the context of primary community education for cancer control. More recently, tobacco cessation clinics have been set up to develop models of intervention, and train health professionals in service delivery. These need to be expanded at the primary, secondary, and tertiary care levels, and cost-effective community tobacco cessation models need to be developed. Tobacco cessation forms one of the critical activities under the National Tobacco Control Program. Tobacco cessation needs to be urgently expanded by training health professionals in providing routine clinical interventions, increasing availability and subsidy on pharmacotherapy, developing wide-reaching strategies, such as quitlines and cost-effective strategies, such as group interventions.

Lambda cyhalothrin induced alterations in Clarias batrachus.

The present study was undertaken to find out the toxic effect of synthetic pyrethroid lambda cyhalothrin on the functioning of endocrine glands in freshwater catfish, Clarias batrachus.The fish were exposed to the pesticide for a period of 45 days at a sublethal concentration of 5.768 ppm. Analysis of hormone profile was carried out on the 15, 30 and 45 days of exposure to find out the alteration in hormone secretion and the response of the fish to the compound. The results obtained showed a significant decline(p<0.05) in levels of thyroid hormones and testosterone while a significant increase (p<0.05) was observed in cortisol levels during the different days of exposure of the fish to lambda cyhalothrin

Anti-Inflammatory and Antipyretic Activities of Hygrophila spinosa T. Anders Leaves (Acanthaceae)

Purpose: Hygrophila spinosa T. Anders (Acanthaceae) is commonly used in the traditional system of medicine for the treatment of inflammation; pain; jaundice; rheumatism; arthritis; anaemia; etc. In the present study; we investigated the anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activities of the petroleum ether; chloroform; alcoholic and aqueous extracts of the leaf of this plant. Methods: The anti-inflammatory activity of the various extracts was studied based on their effects on carrageenan-induced paw oedema in rats while antipyretic activity was evaluated on the basis of their effect on Brewer's yeast-induced pyrexia in rats. The extracts were screened for alkaloids; steroids; proteins; flavonoids; saponins; mucilage; carbohydrates; organic acids; fats and oils. Results: Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of alkaloids; steroids; proteins; flavonoids; fats and oils; tannins; mucilage and organic acids in the leaves of H. spinosa. Chloroform and alcoholic extracts of leaves of H. spinosa produced significant (p 0.05 and p 0.01) anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activities in a dose-dependent manner. On the other hand; petroleum ether and aqueous extracts did not show significant anti- inflammatory and antipyretic activities. The maximum anti-inflammatory activities produced by chloroform and alcoholic extracts (400 mg/kg) were 33.7and 47.5; respectively. These two extracts also reduced elevated body temperature in rats at 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight doses throughout the observation period of 6h .Conclusion: Chloroform and alcoholic extracts of H. spinosa leaves have anti-inflammatory and antipyretic activities

Antifilarial activity of Caesalpinia bonducella against experimental filarial infections.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Lymphatic filariasis is a disabling disease that continues to cripple population in tropical countries. Currently available antifilarial drugs are not able to control the disease. Therefore, a better antifilarial is urgently required for proper management of the disease. We undertook this study to assess the antifilarial activity of Caesalpinia bonducella-seed kernel against rodent filarial parasite in experimental model. METHODS: Microfilaraemic cotton rats and Mastomys coucha harbouring Litomosoides sigmodontis and Brugia malayi respectively, were treated with crude extract or fractions of the seed kernel C. bonducella through oral route for 5 consecutive days. Microfilaricidal, macrofilaricidal and female worm sterilizing efficacy was assessed. RESULTS: Crude extract showed gradual fall in microfilariae (mf) count in L. sigmodontis-cotton rat model from day 8 post-treatment attaining more than 95 per cent fall by the end of observation period. It also exhibited 96 per cent macrofilaricidal and 100 per cent female sterilizing efficacy. The butanol fraction F018 caused 73.7 per cent reduction in mf count and 82.5 per cent mortality in adult worms with 100 per cent female sterilization. The aqueous fraction F019 exerted more than 90 per cent microfilaricidal activity and 100 per cent worm sterilization. Two chromatographic fractions, F024 and F025 of hexane soluble fraction exhibited 64 and 95 per cent macrofilaricidal activity, respectively. Both the fractions caused gradual fall in microfilaraemia and 100 per cent worm sterilization. In B. malayi-M. coucha model F025 showed gradual reduction in microfilaraemia and caused 80 per cent sterilization of female parasites INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: In conclusion, C. bonducella- seed kernel extract and fractions showed microfilaricidal, macrofilaricidal and female-sterilizing efficacy against L. sigmodontis and microfilaricidal and female-sterilizing efficacy against B. malayi in animal models, indicating the potential of this plant in providing a lead for new antifilarial drug development.

Larvicidal activity of neem and karanja oil cakes against mosquito vectors, Culex quinquefasciatus (say), Aedes aegypti (L.) and Anopheles stephensi (L.).

Larvicidal effect of neem (Azadirachta indica) and karanja (Pongamia glabra) oil cakes (individuals and combination) was studied against mosquito species. Both the oil cakes showed larvicidal activity against the mosquito species tested. The combination of neem and karanja oil cakes in equal proportion proved to have better effect than the individual treatments. The combination of the two oil cakes recorded an LC95 of 0.93, 0.54 and 0.77% against the mosquitoes, Culex quinquefasciatus, Aedes aegypti and Anopheles stephensi respectively The increase in efficacy of the combination treatment over individuals in all the mosquito larvae tested was found to range about 4 to 10 fold in terms of LC50 and 2 to 6 fold in terms of LC95.

Maternal nutritional status & practices & perinatal, neonatal mortality in rural Andhra Pradesh, India.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Despite a vast network of primary health centres and sub-centres, health care outreach in rural parts of India is poor. The Dangoria Charitable Trust (DCT), Hyderabad, has developed a model of health care outreach through trained Village Health and Nutrition Entrepreneur and Mobilisers (HNEMs) in five villages of Medak district in Andhra Pradesh, not serviced by the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) of the Government of India. Impact of such a link worker on perinatal/ neonatal mortality has been positive. The present study attempts to examine the association of maternal nutrition and related factors with perinatal, and neonatal mortality in these villages. METHODS: Women from five selected villages who had delivered between June 1998 and September 2003, were identified. Those who had lost a child before one month (28 days), including stillbirths, (group 1- mortality group), who could be contacted and were willing to participate, were compared with those who had not lost a child (group II- no mortality), through a structured questionnaire and physical examination for anthropometric status and signs and symptoms of nutritional deficiency. Categorical data were analysed using Pearson chi square analysis. Continuous data were analysed using Student's t test. RESULTS: Mortality during perinatal, neonatal period was 8.2 per cent of all births. Malnutrition was rampant. Over 90 per cent women had 3 or more antenatal check-ups, had taken tetanus injections and had complied with regular consumption of iron-folic acid tablets. Higher percentage of women in group I (mortality group) tended to have height less than 145 cm (high risk) and signs and symptoms of micronutrient deficiencies. However, differences between groups I and II were not statistically significant. Pre-term delivery, difficult labour (use of forceps), first parity, birth asphyxia (no cry at birth) and day of initiating breastfeeding showed significant association with mortality. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Significant association between signs and symptoms of malnutrition with perinatal, neonatal deaths may have been masked by high prevalence of malnutrition in the mothers of both the groups and the small study sample size. However, maternal malnutrition, may contribute indirectly through its effects on other pregnancy-related as well as delivery-related complications leading to adverse outcome of pregnancy. The HNEM experience of DCT suggests that a properly trained and supported village level worker can contribute to reduction in perinatal and neonatal mortality.

Partial purification and characterization of acetylcholinesterase isozymes from adult bovine filarial parasite Setaria cervi.

Filariasis is a major health problem, affecting millions of people in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. The isolation and characterization of parasite-specific enzyme targets is essential for developing effective control measures against filariasis. Acetylcholinesterase (AchE, E.C. 3.1.1.7), an important enzyme of neuromuscular transmission is found in a number of helminths including filarial parasites and may be playing a role in host-parasite interactions. Earlier, we demonstrated the presence of two isozymes of AchE, different from the host enzyme in the human (Brugia malayi) and bovine (Setaria cervi) filarial parasites. In the present study, two isozymes of AchE (pAchE1 and pAchE2) were isolated from S. cervi adults and characterized biochemically and immunochemically. The AchE was partially purified on Con-A Sepharose column and then subjected to preparative polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) for separation of the isozymes. The AchE activity was localized by the staining of gel and the isozymes were isolated from the PAGE strips by electroelution. Both isozymes preferentially utilized acetylcholine iodide as substrate and were strongly inhibited by the true AchE inhibitor (BW284c51), suggesting that they were true AchE. The polyclonal antibodies produced against the isozymes showed significant cross-reactivity with B. malayi AchE, but not against the host enzyme. These findings suggested that both the isozymes were biochemically (in terms of their substrate specificity and inhibitor sensitivity) and immunochemically similar, but different from the host enzyme.

Preliminary studies on antihyperglycemic effect of aqueous extract of Brassica nigra (L.) Koch in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats.

In the streptozotocin induced diabetic rats treated separately with aqueous, ethanol, acetone and chloroform extracts of the seeds of B. nigra, the increase in serum glucose value between 0 and 1 hr of glucose tolerance test (GTT) was the least (29 mg/dl) in aqueous extract treated animals while it was 54, 44 and 44 mg/dl with chloroform, acetone and ethanol extracts respectively. In further studies carried out with aqueous extract, the effective dose was found to be 200 mg/kg body weight in GTT. Administration of 200 mg/kg body weight of aqueous extract to diabetic animals daily once for one month brought down fasting serum glucose (FSG) levels while in the untreated group FSG remained at a higher value. In the treated animals the increase in glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and serum lipids was much less when compared with the levels in untreated diabetic controls. These findings suggest that further studies with the aqueous extract of B. nigra seeds on its antidiabetic activity would be useful.

Oxidoreductases in early gestational monkey placenta during maternal malarial infection: histochemical localisation.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Early gestational malaria is more deleterious than late gestational infection. Still the pathophysiology of maternofoetal organ--the placenta in malaria remains almost unexplored during early gestation. Present study dealing with oxidoreductases in early gestational placenta during maternal malarial infection of Plasmodium cynomolgi bastianellii in rhesus monkeys was anticipated to provide a better insight into the functional impairment of this organ leading to foetal abnormalities. METHODS: Three control and four experimental monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were quarantined for one month prior to experimentation. Experimental monkeys at 2- 2 1/2 months of gestation were inoculated with P. cynomolgi bastianellii. On attaining first peak of parasitaemia the placentae were collected from anesthetised animals. The snap-frozen, cryostat sections were subjected to histochemical localisation for 3 (or 17) beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (beta-HSD) [3 (or 17) beta-hydroxysteroid: NAD (P+) oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.51 hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases] and NADPH-tetrazolium reductase [NADPH: (acceptor) oxidoreductase, EC 1.6.99.1 NADPH-TR]. Comparative microscopy of control and malaria infected placental sections was performed and analysed. RESULTS: A localised decrease in both the enzymes was observed in syncytiotrophoblast layer of malaria infected monkey placenta. The areas showing morphological damage of syncytiotrophoblast were also depicting gross reduction in NADPH-TR activity. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: The altered enzymatic activities [3 (or 17) beta-HSD and NADPH-TR] in malaria infected early gestational monkey placenta have been discussed in the light of placental function. It could be concluded by present studies that these alterations would affect the cellular metabolism especially steroidogenesis and detoxification process which in turn would affect the normal development of the foetus as well as maintenance of gestation.

Screening of hepatoprotective effect of a herbal mixture against CCl4 induced hepatotoxicity in Swiss albino mice.

The hepatoprotective potential of a herbal mixture was evaluated against CCl4 induced liver injury in Swiss albino mice. Liv 52, a commercially available polyherbal hepatoprotective drug was evaluated for comparison. The potential toxicity of the above herbal hepatoprotective agents was also compared. It was observed that there was a reduction in the enzyme biomarkers (Aspartate and Alanine Transaminase) of liver injury in the herbal mixture treated groups, which was similar to the reduction initiated by Liv 52. An increase in glutathione was observed in the herbal mixture treated groups and it was assumed that the herbal mixture protects the liver by virtue of its antioxidant nature along with high regeneration initiation potential. From the study it is also concluded that the herbal mixture is safer than Liv 52.

Impact of malathion on the biochemical parameters of gobiid fish, Glossogobius giuris (Ham).

There is a dearth of information regarding the changes in heart muscle metabolites induced by pesticides. In the present study, the gobiid fish, Glossogobius giuris, was exposed to sub lethal concentrations of (0.05, 0.25 and 0.5 ppm) organophosphorus pesticide, malathion for short duration (24 to 96 hr). The cardiac muscles showed maximum depletion of glycogen and cholesterol content during 72 and 96 hr after treatment with 0.5 ppm malathion. Whereas a slight fluctuation of protein and glycogen content was observed in low concentration (0.05 ppm) of malathion. The levels of protein showed a significant decrease at high concentration (0.5 ppm) when treated for longer duration (96 hr). The present study reports metabolic dysfunction in response to malathion toxicity in the fish.