Sulfamethazine (SMZ) is one of the most commonly used sulfonamide compounds in fish farming, and its physiological effects on fish are unknown. SMZ was administered to juvenile Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) at a dose level of 422 mg kg(-1) body weight, for a period of 11 days, via medicated feed. Fish were divided into two groups, the control group (CG) and the group fed with SMZ in feed. The administration of SMZ did not alter the erythrograms and leukograms of the Nile tilapia. The SMZ-fed group showed the same hepatic lipid peroxidation (LPO) concentration as the CG. Nonetheless, the oral administration of SMZ raised the hepatic catalase (CAT) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities, the increase probably being sufficient to prevent hepatic LPO production. The oral administration of SMZ affects the hepatic GST and CAT activities of Nile tilapia.
Keywords: Antibiotics; Antioxidant defense; Sulfamethazine; Toxicology.