Protective role of ascorbic acid in fishes exposed to organochlorine pollution

Protective role of ascorbic acid on the toxic effect of aldrin pollution in an air-breathing fish Channa punctatus Bloch is reported. Fishes fed with aldrin mixed diet at 0.25% showed 25% mortality in 30 days. Mortality is preceded by certain changes in peripheral blood such as polycythemia and leucocytosis with increased thrombocyte but decreased neutrophil population. However, a massive dose of ascorbic acid (500 mg/100 g diet) was found to considerably neutralize the toxic effect as evidenced by 10-fold decrease in mortality and significantly lowered haematological response. The significance of these studies in the light of physiological role of ascorbic acid as a micronutrient for protection against pollution stress is discussed.