Cortisol induced changes in plasma glucose protein and thyroid hormone levels and liver glycogen content of coho salmon oncorhynchus kisutch walbaum

Vijayan, M. M.; Leatherland, J. F.

Coho salmon given intraperitoneal implants of hydrogenated coconut oil alone or coconut oil containing cortisol at 1,5, or 10 mg/fish exhibited dose-related increases in plasma cortisol levels at day 15. After 30 days, plasma cortisol levels were significantly higher in the cortisol-implanted groups but there was no dose-related response. Plasma T3 levels were lowered in cortisol-treated fish, but plasma T4 levels were not consistently affected. Plasma glucose levels were significantly higher in the group treated with cortisol at 10 mg/fish than in the controls on both sampling days, whereas liver glycogen content and hepatosomatic index were significantly lower in the cortisol-treated groups at day 30 but not at day 15. Plasma protein levels were not significantly different between treatments at either sampling time. The splenosomatic indices were not significantly different in the three treatment groups at day 15, but at day 30 the values in the 5 and 10 mg/fish cortisol-treated groups were significantly higher than in the controls.