The objectives of this work was to examine the toxicological effect and molecular changes caused by a heavy metal pollutant mercuric chloride (HgCl2), in fresh water SNAKEHEAD Channa punctatus, locally known as Taki fish in Bangladesh. When fishes were exposed to HgCl2, it induced death of the fishes in a concentration-dependent manner. 1 mM, the highest concentration tested in this study, was found to be the deadliest and it induced death of the fishes within 35 to 40 minutes. As the concentration lowered (0.5 mM – 0.1 mM) the survival time increased dose dependently to near about five hours. HgCl2 dissolved in different types of water (such as distilled water, tap water and pond water) was found to have no effects in changing the required time of fish death. We later investigated the effect of HgCl2 on fish liver cells as liver cells are known to be mostly affected by toxic metals. HgCl2 found to decrease liver cell viability to 32% by the higher concentration (1 mM) tested. Liver cell viability increased up to 82% with decreasing concentration of HgCl2 from 0.5 mM to 0.1 mM. To characterize the mechanism of cell death induced by HgCl2, the changes in molecular level was then examined. It was found that the heavy metal induced chromosomal DNA fragmentation and expression of certain proteins.

Background: SNAKEHEAD fish (Ophiocephalus striatus) is a FRESHWATER fish that is utilized as anti-inflammatory and anticancer drug. The aim of this study was to determine the toxicity effect of SNAKEHEAD fish powder (SFP), formulate it into liposome and in vitro study using sensitive and resistant breast cancer cells. Methods: Dried powder of SNAKEHEAD fish was made using the atomizer then made a test solution which was divided into 7 treatment groups in different concentrations. They were exposed to zebrafish embryos then observed for 72 h post fertilization (hpf). After acquiring the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) and lethal concentration (LC50) of SFP, these concentrations were used to formulate SFP into liposome by extrusion method. SFP-liposomes were characterized and stable tested. Afterwards, SFP-liposomes were evaluated in vitro using sensitive and resistant breast cancer cells. Results: The maximum allowed toxicant concentration of SFP was 0. 0543 mg/mL meaning slight toxic symptoms, IC50 = 0. 0945 mg/mL showing the growth inhibition of zebrafish embryos, and LC50 = 0. 1549 mg/mL meaning very toxic category that has killed zebrafish embryos. The characterization results showed that size of SFP-liposome were 121 nm ± 0. 29, polydispersity index 0. 06 ± 0. 02, zeta-potential-10. 15 mV ± 0. 36 and % entrapment efficiency (EE) 85. 75% ± 2. 24. Six weeks of stability study showed that size profile was stable at 25° C and 37° C. Moreover, SFP-liposomes inhibited breast cancer cell proliferation when evaluated with 4T1 and MDA-MB231-sensitive and resistant cells. Conclusion: SFP has bioactive compounds based on toxicity effect and can be formulated into liposome as a promising nanonutraceutical formulation.

Background: The aim of the present study was to characterize and evaluate the nanoemulgel (NEG) of SNAKEHEAD fish powder (SFP), as a transdermal delivery system for poorly water soluble drug, in order to conquer the inconveniences related to its oral conveyance. Methods: Diverse nanoemulsion components (oil, surfactant, and co-surfactant) were chosen based on solvency and emulsification capacity. SFP loaded nanoemulsion which tested by stress-stability testing was carried out for all formulations and those that passed these tests were characterized for mean droplet size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, pH, viscosity, and transmittance. After that, this was continued by permeation studies using snake skin in vitro and rabbit skin in vivo studies i. e. skin irritation study and the effectiveness test. Results: Mean droplet size and zeta potential of the optimized nanoemulsion (NE4) were found to be 98. 6 ± 0. 93 nm (polydispersity index, PDI = 0. 1 ± 0. 20) and-57. 5 ± 0. 3 mV respectively. Optimized nanoemulsion was converted into nanoemulgel with 1. 5% w/v of gelling agent (HPMC) and evaluated for pH, viscosity, spreadability, and extrudability measurement. Ex vivo transdermal permeation value for SFP through snake skin as membrane from NEG1, NEG2, NEG3 and marketed SFP cream showed results of 55. 65 ± 0. 93%, 56. 14 ± 0. 70%, 66. 75 ± 1. 03% and 49. 80 ± 3. 42% respectively in 3 hours. Moreover, all the treatment group did not show skin irritation of each group. The effect of burn wound healing of NEG3 showed a significant (P<0. 05) on the measurement of wound area compared to marketed cream. Conclusion: The novel NEG of SFP was successfully formulated for transdermal application based on the results of evaluations and stability tests on accelerating burn wound healing.

In this study the effect of different protein levels on reproductive performance of Channa striatus was conducted. SNAKEHEAD juveniles (65. 5± 0. 2 g) were randomly distributed into nine homogenous groups of 75 fish each. Three isocaloric experimental diets differing in protein levels were prepared. The experiment lasted for 8 months and gonadosomatic index, absolute fecundity, egg diameter, number of mature oocytes, hatching rate, larval length, survival rate and amino acid and proximate composition of tissue, liver and ovary were monitored. Growth, gonadosomatic index (GSI) and absolute fecundity increased with increase in protein level. Protein and lipid content of ovary was highest in fish fed 450 g kg-1 protein. The percentage of mature oocyte, egg diameter, hatching rate and larval length were the highest in the group fed 450 g kg-1 protein. There was no significant difference between the amino acid profiles of muscle tissue in all treatments. Amino acid profile in the liver showed that isoleucine, leusine, phenylalanine and tyrosine were significantly higher in fish fed the 450 g kg-1 protein diet.

The SNAKEHEAD of the family are represented 33 species from Asia of which two speciesChanna ornatipinnis and C. pulchra were recently described from Myanmar. The recent record of C. ornatipinnis from Tuivawl River, Tuivawl village in Champhai district, Mizoram, India is ofichthyological interest.

This paper revises the response of FRESHWATER ostracods to different environmental conditions and anthropogenic impacts, with a worldwide overview of the potential use of these microcrustaceans as bioindicators and several examples of applications in different scenarios. The development of either a single species or an ostracod assemblage is influenced by physical-chemical properties of waters (salinity, temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen), hydraulic conditions, bottom grain sizes or sedimentation rates. In addition to population and community changes, morphological and geochemical changes can also be detected in the ostracod carapace, which serves as a tracer of the water quality. All these features permit to delimit the spatial effects of urban sewages, mining effluents, agricultural wastes, watershed deforestation or road building. These data are the basis for the palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of cores, with an interesting application to archaeology. In addition, favourable results of recently developed bioassays, coupled with an important variability of local assemblages under changing conditions in both waters and sediments, suggest that these microcrustaceans may included between the most promising sentinels groups in FRESHWATER areas. These microcrustaceans show high sensitivity to pesticides, herbicides, heavy metal pollution and oil inputs.

There are many FRESHWATER snails involved in the life cycle of parasitic flukes. Some of these animals, such as Bulinus spp and Lymnaea spp are very important in public health and veterinary medicine. For example, Bulinus trucatus and Lymnaeid snails transmit Human Bilharziosis and zoonotic Fascioliosis, respectively. For this reason most FRESHWATER bodies of northern Iran, were searched for potential intermediate host snails of medical parasites. Thirteen mollusc taxa, i.e. 5 operculated shell-bearing versus 8 pulmonated snails were found during a snail survey, in the summer of 1992. Two taxa, viz. Anisus leucostoma and Bulinus truncatus were found to be new species for Iran and northern Iran, respectively

Iran contains 33 named endemic fish species, which together with undescribed taxa, approximates one-third of the ichthyofauna. Endemism in relatively large species such as fishes, which are better known systematically than other taxa, can often serve to indicate areas in need of conservation. An analysis of endemicity is given in terms of systematics, distribution and ecology.