Effects of dietary administration of stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) on the growth performance, biochemical, hematological and immunological parameters in juvenile and adult Victoria Labeo (Labeo victorianus) challenged with Aeromonas hydrophila

Abstract

We investigated effects of dietary administration of stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) on growth performance, biochemical, hematological and immunological parameters in juvenile and adult Victoria Labeo (Labeo victorianus) against Aeromonas hydrophila. Fish were divided into 4 groups and fed for 4 and 16 weeks with 0%, 1%, 2% and 5% of U. dioica incorporated into the diet. Use of U. dioica in the diet resulted in improved biochemical, hematological and immunological parameters. Among the biochemical parameters; plasma cortisol, glucose, triglyceride and cholesterol decreased while total protein and albumin in fish increased with increasing dietary inclusion of U. dioica. Among the haematology parameters: red blood cell (RBC), white blood cell (WBC) counts, haematocrit (Htc), mean cell haemoglobin (MCH), mean cell haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and netrophiles increased with increasing dietary inclusion levels of U. dioica, some depending on the fish age. Serum immunoglobulins, lysozyme activity and respiratory burst were the main immunological parameters in the adult and juvenile L. victorianus measured and they all increased with increasing herbal inclusion of U. dioica in the diet. Dietary incorporation of U. dioica at 5% showed significantly higher relative percentage survival (up to 95%) against A. hydrophila. The current results demonstrate that using U. dioica can stimulate fish immunity and make L. victorianus more resistant to bacterial infection (A. hydrophila).

Effects of dietary levels of essential oil ( EO ) extract from bitter lemon ( C itrus limon ) fruit peels on growth, biochemical, haemato‐immunological parameters and disease resistance in Juvenile L abeo victorianus fingerlings challenged with A eromon

“…Water salinity, NO 3 − , NH 3 and pH were similar to our earlier study (Ngugi et al . ). The larvae were held in the tanks for 7 days before the experiments.…”

“…Lysozyme activity was measured using turbidimetric method described by Ellis (Ellis ) and the respiratory burst activity measured by Chemiluminescent assay (CL) as described by Khoshbavar‐Rostami, Soltani & Hassan () [see detailed description in (Ngugi et al . )].…”

“…The L. victorianus is a high value, fast-growing, bottom-feeding omnivorous freshwater cyprinid endemic to Lake Victoria basin (Mokoro, Oyoo-Okoth, Ngugi, Njiru, Rasowo, Chepkirui-Boit & Manguya-Lusega 2014) and references therein). We recently showed that outbreak of A. hydrophila caused up to 100% mortality of L. victorianus when no prophylaxis was used in the diet of this species (Ngugi, Oyoo-Okoth, Mugo-Bundi, Orina, Chemoiwa & Aloo 2015).…”

Trial on using of some herbal extracts as promising immunoprophylaxis feed additives in cultured Oreochromis niloticus

“…After which they were netted out of the anesthetic bath individually and I/P injected with 0.2 ml of virulent bacterial suspension of A. hydrophila. RPS (relative percent survivability) of challenged fish in different groups during 10 days was calculated according to Ngugi et al [28] …”

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“…A high level of organic acid in the diet of tilapia elicited similar response in neutrophils (Reda, Mah moud, Selim, & El-Araby, 2016). Incorporation of stinging nettle (Urtica dioica) in d iets of Labeo victorianus also elicited the same effect on neutrophils (Ngugi et al, 2015). It might suggest that Piper betle supplemented feeds act through the upregulation of ly mphocytes and monocytes to induce immune preparedness in fish.…”