The effects of pure microcystin LR and biomass of blue-green algae on blood indices of carp (Cyprinus carpio)

The aim of this work was to find out how the administration of the Microcystin LR and the biomass of blue-green algae with known amount of the Microcystin LR to juvenile carp influences indices of the red blood cells and activities of plasma enzymes. The experimental fish were given either pure Microcystin LR or the biomass of blue-green algae with known amount of Microcystin LR. The administration of pure Microcystin LR at the dose of 400 mu g per 1 kg of body mass was conducted intraperitoneally, the biomass was applied per os. Microcystin LR volume in single doses was 3, 300, 600 and 1200 mu g per 1 kg of body mass. After 24 and 48 h blood was taken from fish by cardiac punction. The following indices of the blood were evaluated: the red blood cell count (RBC), haematocrit (PCV), haemoglobin (Hb), mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH). Activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and total plasma proteins (TPP) were measured. Significant changes (p less than or equal to 0.05 or p less than or equal to 0.01) of RBC, PCV, Hb, MCV and MCH were found only after the application of the biomass of blue-green algae.