Multi-biomarker approach to evaluate the neurotoxic effects of environmentally relevant concentrations of phenytoin on adult zebrafish Danio rerio

Jesús Daniel Cardoso-Vera, Leobardo Manuel Gómez-Oliván, Hariz Islas-Flores, Sandra García-Medina, Gustavo Axel Elizalde-Velázquez, José Manuel Orozco-Hernández, Gerardo Heredia-García, Karina Elisa Rosales-Pérez, Marcela Galar-Martínez

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Several studies have reported the presence of phenytoin (PHE) in wastewater treatment plant effluents, hospital effluents, surface water, and even drinking water. However, published studies on the toxic effects of PHE at environmentally relevant concentrations in aquatic organisms are scarce. The present study aimed to determine the effect of three environmentally relevant concentrations of PHE (25, 282, and 1500 ng L−1) on behavioral parameters using the novel tank test. Moreover, we also aimed to determine whether or not these concentrations of PHE may impair acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and oxidative status in the brain of Danio rerio adults. Behavioral responses suggested an anxiolytic effect in PHE-exposed organisms, mainly observed in organisms exposed to 1500 ng L−1, with a significant decrease in fish mobility and a significant increase in activity at the top of the tank. Besides the behavioral impairment, PHE-exposed fish also showed a significant increase in the levels of lipid peroxidation, hydroperoxides, and protein carbonyl content compared to the control group. Moreover, a significant increase in brain AChE levels was observed in fish exposed to 282 and 1500 ng L−1. The results obtained in the present study show that PHE triggers a harmful response in the brain of fish, which in turn generates fish have an anxiety-like behavior.

Original languageEnglish
Article number155359
JournalScience of the Total Environment
Volume834
DOIs
StatePublished - 15 Aug 2022

Keywords

  • Behavior
  • Brain acetylcholinesterase
  • Danio rerio
  • Oxidative stress parameters
  • Phenytoin

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