Na₂EDTA anticoagulant impaired blood samples from the teleost Piaractus mesopotamicus

Anticoagulante Na₂EDTA danifica amostras de sangue do teleósteo Piaractus mesopotamicus

Abstract:

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of Na heparin and Na₂EDTA on blood of Piaractus mesopotamicus (360.7±42.4g, 26.4±1.0cm). Twenty fishes were sampled in two experiment trials, ten for erythrocyte fragility analysis and ten for hematologic and plasma biochemical study. The blood collected by venous-caudal puncture was fractioned and stored in anticoagulants solution: Na₂EDTA 10%, Na₂EDTA 3%, Na heparin 5000 IU and Na heparin 100 IU. Plasmatic levels of calcium presented in the Na₂EDTA stored samples were about 80% lower than both heparin groups. Blood samples of P. mesopotamicus stored with Na₂EDTA demonstrated increase in the hematocrit and MCV, and decrease in MCHC. The dose-response effect was observed in this study. The results are reinforced by the higher levels of plasmatic protein and hemolysis presented in the Na₂EDTA 10% stored blood, confirming the deleterious effect of this anticoagulant treatment on the quality of blood samples. Na₂EDTA is not indicated to store P. mesopotamicus blood samples, but sodium heparin at 100 IU is the most recommended anticoagulant, since this treatment presented the lower rate of alterations in the stored blood.

Index Terms:
Fish hematology; blood clotting; EDTA; Heparin; Piaractus mesopotamicus.