Endocrine response of the freshwater teleost, Sarotherodon mossambicus (Peters) to dimecron exposure

The endocrine response in a freshwater teleost, Sarotherodon mossambicus (Peters) under dimecron (an organophosphate pesticide) toxicity was investigated by estimating the serum levels of T3 (triiodothyronine), T4 (thyroxine), cortisol, prolactin and insulin in control and sub-lethal (0.001 ml l−1) dimecron-exposed fish for 1, 6, 12, 24 h and 5 days. In control S. mossambicus, the serum levels of T3 ranged from 0.80 ± 0.01 to 0.82 ± 0.01 ng ml−1; T4 from 2.20 ± 0.01 to 2.25 ± 0.01 μg dl−1; cortisol from 8.30 ± 0.03 to 8.34 ± 0.01 μg dl−1; prolactin from 1.50 ± 0.01 to 1.54 ± 0.01 μg ml−1; insulin from 9.70 ± 0.01 to 9.76 ± 0.01 μU ml−1 up to a maximum period of 5 days maintained in pollutant-free tap water. Exposure of fish to sub-lethal concentration of dimecron caused varying changes in the levels of serum hormones studied. Based on the results obtained, it was concluded that (i) the fish adaptively maintains a probable low metabolic rate, as indicated by the reduced levels of thyroid hormone (T3) as well as the glucocorticoid hormone (cortisol), which could be considered advantageous for the fish to indirectly reduce the toxic impact of the pesticide, (ii) the elevated levels of prolactin in the fish under pesticide stress is indicative of a possible hydromineral regulatory effect of the hormone (probably by influencing specific organs such as gills and kidney) under pesticide toxicity, (iii) the increased insulin level in the fish under pesticide stress is indicative of its role in favouring an adaptive tissue glycogenesis besides a possible increased lipogenesis to sequester the pesticide residue thereby reducing the toxic effect of the pesticide and (iv) the prolonged exposure of the fish (for 5 days) to sub-lethal dimecron appeared to exhibit a uniform recovery response in the different hormonal levels of the fish.