Effects of Anaesthetics on Metabolic Enzyme Activities in African Catfish, Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822) | Insight Medical Publishing

The effect of some anaesthetics such as methane sulfonate (MS-222); Metomidate hydrochloride; Eugenol and Sodium bicarbonate on the enzymes activities (Alanine transminase–ALT; Aspartate transaminase–AST; Alkaline phosphatase-ALP and Lactate dehydrogenase–LDH) in Juveniles and Adults sizes of Clarias gariepinus was investigated using different concentrations (0.00 mlL-1–control; 50.00; 100.00; 150.00 and 200.00 mlL-1) in triplicates. The results from the study indicated that the anaesthetic caused a concentration dependent significant alteration (p<0.05) in the five enzymes under consideration. The highest activities in all the enzymes were observed in 200.00 mlL-1 concentration of the anaesthetics and the lowest in the control. The results from this work therefore suggest that the anaesthetics impair enzymes activities in the fish which was more noticeable in the fish exposed to higher concentrations between 150.00-200.00 m/L-1. Hence caution should be exercised in the application of these anaesthetics in sedation of C. gariepinus.