Histopathological Changes in the Gills and Liver of the African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) Juveniles Exposed to Crude Stem Bark Extracts of Adenium obesum (Desert Rose)

Abstract

Histopathological alterations in fish organs are among the biomarkers used to measure the impact of toxicants, providing insights into the effects of environmental contamination on aquatic organisms. This study investigated the effects of acute concentrations (0.00, 6.5, 8.0, 9.5, 11.0 and 12.5 mg/L) of stem bark crude extract of Adenium obesum on the histopathological changes in the liver and gills of Clarias gariepinus juveniles over a period of 96 hours in a static non-renewable bioassay. Mean water quality parameters (free carbondioxide, dissolved oxygen content, pH and total alkalinity levels) and histo-architectural integrity of liver and gills were determined using standard methods. Statistically significant differences (p<0.05) were found in all the studied physico-chemical parameters of the water compared with control. There was marked pieces of evidence of concentration-dependent alteration to the gills and liver histological organizations. The acute investigations revealed that acute exposure of catfish juveniles to A. obesum stem bark crude extract culminated in both water quality parameters and histological alterations in gills and liver more particularly the higher concentrations of extract in the acute exposure.