Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
2013, Vol 13, Num, 2 (Pages: 315-320)
Histopathological and Biochemical Effects of Humic Acid Against Cadmium Toxicity in Brown Trout Gills and Muscles
2 Ataturk University, Fisheries Faculty, 25240 Erzurum, Turkey
3 Ataturk University, Veterinary Faculty, 25240 Erzurum, Turkey DOI : 10.4194/1303-2712-v13_2_13 Viewed : 4428 - Downloaded : 3953 It was biochemically and histopathologically investigated whether humic acid (HA) has protective effects on cadmium (Cd) toxicity on muscle and gills of brown trout (Salmo trutta fario Linnaeus, 1792). The brown trout were exposed to cadmium (2 ppm) and/or humic acid (5 ppm). For this purpose, levels of glutathione peroxidase (GPx), superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA) was investigated in muscle and gills tissues of brown trout. The activities of GPx and SOD in the tissues of fish exposed to Cd was significantly lower than the control groups (P<0.05). MDA levels did not increase in the groups exposed to cadmium (P>0.05). Hovewer, humic acid did not affect biochemical damage in cadmium group. Cd caused a significant increase in histopathological changes in muscle and gills tissues, but histopathological changes were lower in the muscle tissue of Cd+HA group. These results suggest that humic acid may counteract the cadmium toxicity in muscles tissue in histopathologic aspect. Keywords : Toxicity, antioxidant enzyme, brown trout, histopathology, humic acid