Acute Toxic Effects of Parathion on Leucocytes of an Air Breathing Fish Clarias batrachus

The present investigation deals with the toxic effect of a common insecticide parathion on total and differential count of an air-breathing fish Clarias batrachus. In four different concentrations (2 ppm, 4 ppm, 6 ppm and 8 ppm, of parathion for 96 hrs to Clarias batrachus, a gradual and significant increase in total leucocytes with parathion concentrations was observed. Total percentage of lymphocytes showed marked increase in all the test animals exposed to different concentrations of the toxicant. Significant decrease in neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils and monocytes were also observed in parathion exposed animals.