EVALUATION OF PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF AQUATIC WEED HYDRILLA VERTICILLATA AGAINST LEAD INDUCED ACUTE LIVER TOXICITY IN FISH

The present study is designed to investigate the hepatoprotective effect of Hydrilla verticillata on lead-induced hepatic damage in freshwater fish. The fish were treated with a sub-lethal concentration of lead acetate to induce liver damage and fed with supplementary feed containing 20% of hydrilla dry powder. After 21 days of treatment, the liver was removed, and hepatotoxicity and its prevention were analyzed. Liver marker enzymes like alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), acid phosphatase (ACP) were measured and compared with the control. Histopathological study of the liver was done to find out the protective effect of Hydrilla verticillata. The lead-induced hepatotoxicity by stimulation of ALT, AST, ACP and represented by degeneration of hepatocytes and formation of cytoplasmic vacuoles. Hydrilla verticillata supplementation significantly (p ˂ 0.05) reduced the level of hepatic enzymes and showed a protective effect on hepatocytes by normalization of degenerated and fibrotic liver tissue as of control. This study strongly confirms the hepatoprotective effect of Hydrilla verticillata against lead-induced acute liver toxicity. Hydrilla verticillata could be recommended for liver disorders.