Abstract
The effects of Euphorbia tirucalli latex on blood calcium and phosphate of Heteropneustes fossilis was investigated in this study. The fish were subjected to 0.8 of 96-h LC50 value of E. tirucalli latex (1.05 µL L−1) for 96-h in a short-term experiment and 0.2 of 96-h LC50 value (0.263 µL L−1) for 28 days in a long-term experiment. Fish were sacrificed after 24, 48, 72, and 96 h in the short-term experiment and after 7, 14, 21, and 28 days in the long-term experiment and blood samples were analyzed for calcium and inorganic phosphate. Acute exposure of E. tirucalli latex caused a progressive decrease in the calcium level after 48 h which persists till the close of the experiment. Phosphate levels remain unaffected till 48 h but after 72 h the levels exhibit a progressive decrease. Chronic E. tirucalli latex treatment provokes a decrease in calcium levels at day 7 continuing till the end of the experiment (28 days). The phosphate levels remain unaffected up to day 7, thereafter, levels decrease from 14 days till the end of the experiment.