DNA damage and oxidative stress modulatory effects of glyphosate-based herbicide in freshwater fish, Channa punctatus

•Exposure to glyphosate induced DNA damage in Channa punctatus in dose-dependent manner.•At sublethal test concentrations, LPO elevated and ROS production increased.•CAT, SOD and GR were suppressed after exposure to sublethal test concentrations.•LPO level and DNA damage was higher in gills than blood cells at all concentrations.•Integrated genotoxic and oxidative stress effects are important for risk assessment.

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the genotoxic and oxidative stress modulatory effects of commercial formulation of glyphosate-based herbicide (Roundup®) in freshwater fish Channa punctatus. Three sublethal test concentrations of the herbicide viz., SL-I (1/10th of LC50 = ∼3.25 mg L−1), SL-II (1/8th of LC50 = ∼4.07 mg L−1) and SL-III (1/5th of LC50 = ∼6.51 mg L−1) were calculated using 96-LC50 value and the test specimens were exposed to these concentrations. Blood and gill cells of the exposed specimens were sampled on day 1, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35 to examine the DNA damage using comet assay and to assess the alteration in lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes activities. The highest DNA damage was observed on day 14 at all test concentrations followed by gradual non-linear decline. Induction of oxidative stress in the blood and gill cells were evidenced by increased lipid peroxidation level, while antioxidants namely superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione reductase responded in a concentration-dependent manner. The results supported the integrated use of comet and antioxidant assays in determining the toxicity of water pollutants which could be used as part of monitoring programs.