| ARTICLES | Volume 1, Issue 7, Pages 257-260 (September 2015)

Research Article HISTOLOGIC lESIONS IN the Gut of Clarias gariepinus exposed to a sublethal dose of ethanolic extract of Dennettia tripetala |  Isangedighi Isangedighi|  and |  Eyo Ambrose |. American Journal of Innovative Research and Applied Sciences. 2015; 1(7):257-160. | PDF FULL TEXT |

ABSTRACT Background: Widespread use of pesticide in agriculture is now a worldwide phenomenon. Pesticides are routinely employed as part of the integrated farming practice to protect crops and animals from insects and reduce post-harvest loses. These pesticides ultimately find their way into the aquatic environment where they produce adverse effects on the biota. Although plant-derived pesticides are cheaper,safer, and less hazardous to aquatic life than their synthetic counterparts, many, however, are known to have ichthyotoxic effect. Objective:  This research was aimed at assessing the ichthyotoxic potential of the insecticidal Dennettia tripetala  fruit extract by investigating its effects on the histology of the gut of Clarias gariepinus (Catfish). Methods: Fingerlings of Clarias gariepinus (size and body weight ranged from 3.9 – 7.6cm and 0.08 – 3.75g respectively) were exposed to 0.7g/l (96hrs LC50) of ethanolic extract of D. tripetala using static bioassay. Results: The findings revealed the deleterious potency of D. tripetala on fish gut characterized by the abnormal area of mucosa lining, lamina propria degeneration, gastric pit, gastric erosion, hypertrophy and epithelial lining degeneration in exposed fish compared to control group.  Conclusion: These structural alterations in the gut tissues of the fish are attributable to the icthyotoxic nature of the botanical and are bound to negatively affect the metabolism of the fish thereby hindering its survival. Higher concentrations of Dennettia tripetala fruit extract could however serve as organic piscicide in fish pond to eliminate unwanted fish prior to stocking of fish pond with desirable fish species. KEY WORDS: Ichthyotoxic , Pesticide, Dennettia tripetala, Clarias gariepinus