Vitamin C deficiency in Channa punctatus Bloch

1095-8649

Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005

Biology

The results of a series of experiments on Channa punctatus previously conditioned to a complete synthetic diet and later fed vitamin C deficient diet for 210 days followed by 30 days of recovery with fortified vitamin C ration are reported. The survival, growth, morphological abnormalities and biochemical changes in tissue ascorbic acid and cholesterol levels were studied.Deficiency of vitamin C resulted in a mortality of up to 25% and retarded growth accompanied by anorexia and loss of weight. Marked skeletal abnormalities, viz., lordosis, scoliosis and degenerative changes in the thoracic vertebrae were revealed by X-ray studies. Biochemical investigations showed a significant decrease in blood and kidney ascorbic acid levels within a month of feeding the deficient diet. A prolonged deficiency beyond 150 days resulted in a rapid rise in the cholesterol content of the liver. These biochemical changes were reversed when vitamin C was added to the ration.

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