AMELIORATING POTENTIAL OF CASSIA ABSUS SEED-POWDER AGAINST CADMIUM-INDUCED ALTERATIONS IN ZEBRAFISH AND IDENTIFICATION OF FLAVONOIDS IN DIFFERENT EXTRACTS OF SEED

The study was conducted to evaluate the ameliorating potential of Cassia absus L. (CA) seed-powder against cadmium-induced alterations in zebrafish (Danio rerio L.). Fish were divided into five groups (C1: received normal feed, C2: received normal feed along with CA powder, C3: normal feed along with cadmium exposure (1 ppm), C4: Vitamin Eenriched feed along with cadmium exposure and T1: Feeding of powder of CA (50% of total feed) along with cadmium exposure comprising of eighteen fish in each group. The fish of the treatment group were offered with powder of CA (10 mg /fish in the morning for 21 days along with exposure to cadmium chloride. Whole fish was used to evaluate oxidative stress markers and histopathological evaluation of organs. After 21 days of exposure to cadmium chloride to fish, a significant reduction in catalase activity, non-significant reduction in reduced glutathione level (GSH) along with a significantly higher level of malondialdehyde was observed. The treatment of CA seed-powder partially ameliorated alterations in oxidative stress markers. Cadmium chloride exposure for 21 days led to pathological changes in the liver, kidney, gills and brain of zebrafish. The microscopic changes in the organs of fish treated with CA powder were mild as compared to the toxicity group. Phytochemical analysis of the methanolic and n-butanol fraction of CA seed revealed the presence of various flavonoids. It can be concluded that Cassia absus seeds have the ability to control the toxic potential of Cadmium and it may be due to phytochemicals like flavonoids present in the seed powder.