Praveen N. Dube, Shwetha Alavandi and Basaling B. Hosetti
The present study was conducted to assess the effect of complex metal cyanide (copper cyanide) on Na+K+, Mg2+ and Ca2+-ATPase activity in different tissues of Indian major carp, Catla catla. Exposure of fish to two sublethal concentrations (0.253 and 0.152 mg/L) (selected on the basis of 1/3rd and 1/5th of 96 h LC50) of copper cyanide for different time intervals (5, 10 and 15 d) revealed significant inhibition of enzyme activity in gill, liver and muscle tissues. Inhibition was both dose and time dependent and reversible at post recovery period. Activity of Mg2+- ATPase was inhibited more than that of Na+K+ and Ca2+-ATPase. Harmful effect of cyanide complex was reversible in 7 day post recovery period in all the tissues studied. The present study suggests that this complex cyanide alters the membrane permeability of ATPases, resulting in the breakdown of the active transport mechanism. In fact, the impairment of activity of enzymes which carry out key physiological role could cause alterations in physiology of whole organisms.
