Clinical safety of zafirlukast treatment during a foreign body inflammatory reaction in nile tilapias, oreochromis niloticus

Seeking to understand the defense mechanisms of tilapia to assist in the sanitary management of fish farms, this study aimed to evaluate the clinical safety of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) submitted to oral treatment with 500μg of zafirlukast/Kg of body weight during chronic inflammation, through the implantation of round glass coverslips in the subcutaneous tissue. For this study, 63 male tilapiawere randomly distributed in 9 aquariums to compose the following treatments: Control submitted to inflammatory stimulus without treatment; CT – Conventional treatment; PT – Prolonged treatment. Seven animals were evaluated per treatment in three periods: 2, 4 and 8 days post-implantation (DPI).Tilapia during foreign body reaction showed a decrease in erythrocyte counts and hematocrit values, as well as macrocytic changes, these effects were mitigated by treatment with zafirlukast. Control tilapia showed a gradual increase over time in serum values of total protein, cholesterol, and triglycerides. Serum values of ALT, AST and alkaline phosphatase of control tilapia showed an increase in the late phase of the chronic inflammatory process (8 DPI). Therefore, it was possible to conclude that tilapia treated with 500µg of zafirlukast showed attenuation of hematological changes resulting from fluid-electrolyte imbalance during a foreign body inflammation, as well as ameliorated serum biochemical disorders, demonstrating the clinical safety of oral treatment with this cys-leukotriene blocker.