ACUTE TOXICITY AND SUB-LETHAL EFFECTS OF Mimosa pudica LEAF EXTRACT ON THE HAEMATOLOGY AND ORGAN HISTOPATHOLOGY OF AFRICAN CATFISH FINGERLINGS

This study evaluated the effects of M. pudica ethanol leaf extract on survival, hematology, and histopathology of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings exposed to graded concentrations (0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 mL/L) for 120 h. Phytochemical screening identified saponins as the dominant constituent (151.76 ± 3.64 mg/g), followed by alkaloids (3.34 ± 0.09%) and flavonoids (4.36 ppm). High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) profiling confirmed kaempferol (1.70 ppm) and quercetin (1.40 ppm) as the principal flavonoid components. Water quality remained within the tolerance range of C. gariepinus, although electrical conductivity and total dissolved solids increased and dissolved oxygen declined as extract concentration increased. Mortality increased from 26.67% at 10 mL/L to 53.33% at 40 mL/L; the corresponding probit values (4.38–5.08) indicate that the 50% mortality threshold was crossed between the 30 and 40 mL/L treatments. Hematological indices showed a biphasic, concentration-dependent pattern: packed cell volume, hemoglobin, red blood cell, and white blood cell counts peaked at 20 mL/L before declining toward control-like values at the two highest concentrations, consistent with an early compensatory hemoconcentration and immune response followed by erythrocyte depletion. Histopathological examination revealed concentration-related hepatic degeneration (highest mean score of 1.33 ± 1.15 at 40 mL/L) and tubular degeneration of the kidney (most consistent at 30 mL/L). At the same time, no observable lesions were observed in the gills at any concentration. Collectively, these findings showed that M. pudica leaf extract was toxicologically active against C. gariepinus. Uncontrolled disposal of M. pudica plant material into aquaculture systems should be discouraged