Exposure to sub-acute doses of fipronil and buprofezin in combination or alone induces biochemical, hematological, histopathological and genotoxic damage in common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.)

• Pesticides and insecticides may drastically effect non-target animal species like fish.
• Cyprinus carpio were exposed to fipronil and buprofezin in combination and by themselves.
• Severe alterations occurred in biochemical, hematological parameters and histomorphology of gills, liver and kidneys.
• Greater genotoxic damage occurred in in the combined and fipronil alone group.

Use of pesticides or insecticides can be highly toxic to aquatic life forms due to leaching and agricultural runoff, rains or flood. Fipronil (FP) is a GABA receptor inhibitor, while buprofezin (BPFN) is an insect growth regulator. Presently, we exposed groups of aquaria acclimated carp fish (Cyprinus carpio) for 96 h to sub-lethal concentrations of fipronil (400 μg L−1; 9.15 × 10−7 mol L−1) and buprofezin (BPFN, 100 mg L−1; 1.072 × 10−6 mol L−1) singly or in combination. The extent of damage was assessed at biochemical, hematological, molecular biological and histopathological level. Results obtained in treated fish were compared statistically with those of control non-treated fish and also among treatment groups. Significance level was p < 0.05. Compared to control, serum total protein and globulin concentrations decreased significantly (p < 0.0001) in fish treated with FP; while albumin concentration remained unaltered with all treatments. Glucose concentration decreased significantly (p < 0.002) in fish treated with FP. In contrast, combined FP + BPFN treatment and BPFN treatment caused insignificant elevation of glucose concentration. Hematological assessment demonstrated significant decrease in red blood cell and thrombocyte counts, hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit percent; while white blood cell count showed an increase in all treatment groups (p < 0.0001). Blood smears from pesticide treated fish revealed aberrant erythrocyte morphologies which included necrosis, micronuclear formation and hyperchromatosis. DNA laddering assay carried out on whole blood demonstrated excessive smear formation in combined FP + BPFN and BPFN treatment groups but no smear formation was noticeable in FP treated fish. Compared to control, whole blood DNA content increased significantly in the combined FP + BPFN and BPFN treatment groups (p < 0.001 and p < 0.009). With all treatments histopathological changes observed in the gills were: epithelial uplifting and necrosis of lamellae, lamellar atrophy, disruption of cartilaginous core, fusion and disorganization of lamellae and telangiectasia. In liver these were: karyorrhexis, hepatocellular hypertrophy, nuclear hypertrophy, melanomacrophage aggregates and central vein contraction, while in the kidney: deterioration of glomerulus and dilatation of Bowman’s space, dilatation of renal tubules, thyroidisation, altered tubular lumen, nuclear hypertrophy, cellular atrophy, and cellular necrosis were the outcome. Our study revealed that FP and BPFN produce highly toxic effects on fish when given in combination or singly. To our knowledge, this is the first report on toxicity caused by FP and BPFN in single and combined state.