Abstract
Lead (Pb) is a hazardous pollutant for living creatures including fish. This study addressed the possible ameliorating effect of dietary Beta-MOS® on Pb induced reproductive toxicity in Nile tilapia. One hundred eighty fish (35.43 ± 0.36 g, 8 weeks age) of mixed sex were randomly allocated into 4 equal groups (3 replicates/group). The first group was control and the second group, received 0.3% dietary Beta-MOS®. The third group was exposed to 10 mg Pb acetate L−1 in water. The fourth group was exposed to 10 mg Pb acetate L−1 in water and nourished with 0.3% dietary Beta-MOS®. The treatments were continued for 60 days. Body weight, gonado-somatic index (GSI), estradiol (E2), testosterone (T), cortisol, glucose, gonadal malondialdehyde (MDA) and antioxidant enzymes were measured. Histopathological examination of testes and ovaries was performed. Exposure to Pb caused significant (p < 0.05) reduction in body weight, GSI, estradiol, testosterone, gonadal antioxidant enzymes and elevated cortisol, glucose and gonadal MDA than control. Co-administration of dietary Beta-MOS® with Pb significantly (p < 0.05) ameliorated Pb induced perturbations to the former parameters. The ameliorative effect of Beta-MOS to Pb induced reproductive impairments may be attributed to stress alleviating and antioxidant effects that improved gonadal sex steroids and pathology.
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•Reduction in body weight and GSI for Nile tilapia exposed to Pb•Higher cortisol and lower antioxidant levels indicating stress in Pb-exposed fish•Gonadal degeneration and altered T and E2 production in Pb-exposed fish•Dietary Beta-MOS® ameliorated Pb induced gonadal degeneration.