Effects of Erythrosine Red Exposure on Hepatic Antioxidant-Related Biomarkers and Hematological Responses in Juvenile Clarias Gariepinus

Abstract

Erythrosine red is a synthetic xanthene food colourant whose biological effects have attracted toxicological attention. This study evaluated the effects of erythrosine red on selected hepatic antioxidant-related biomarkers and hematological responses in juvenile Clarias gariepinus after 21 days of waterborne exposure. Fifty juvenile fish were allocated to five groups of ten fish: a negative control maintained in dechlorinated tap water, a positive control exposed to benzene at 0.05 mL/L, and three erythrosine groups exposed to 1.16, 1.74, or 2.32 mg/L. Fish were fasted overnight before sampling. Liver homogenates were analysed for superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA), while hematological parameters were assessed from EDTA-anticoagulated blood. Data were analysed by one-way analysis of variance followed by Dunnett's post-hoc test at p < 0.05. SOD activity was significantly lower at 1.74 and 2.32 mg/L, and CAT activity was significantly lower at 2.32 mg/L. GSH was not significantly altered, whereas MDA was significantly lower at 2.32 mg/L. At 1.74 mg/L, haemoglobin concentration decreased significantly. At 2.32 mg/L, RBC count, haemoglobin, packed cell volume, and mean corpuscular volume decreased, mean corpuscular haemoglobin increased, lymphocyte percentage increased, and heterophil percentage and platelet count decreased. The findings demonstrate concentration-specific alterations in selected hepatic antioxidant-related and hematological biomarkers, but do not establish generalized oxidative damage, direct reactive oxygen species generation, or a specific hematological disease.