Title
Dietary camu camu, Myrciaria dubia, enhances immunological response in Nile tilapia
Date Issued
01 November 2016
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Fernandes D.
Eto S.
Claudiano G.
Marcusso P.
Marinho-Neto F.
Fernandes J.
de Moraes F.
de Moraes J.
Universidad Estatal Paulista
Publisher(s)
Academic Press
Abstract
Camu camu, Myrciaria dubia, is an Amazon plant that presents high levels of vitamin C in its composition. Several studies in animals and humans have demonstrated their efficiency in the prevention and treatment of various diseases. However, there are no reports of its properties in fish. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the oral administration of the extract of this plant in the immune parameters in Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus. 400 Nile tilapia (80 ± 5 g) were randomly distributed into 20 tanks with 1500 L capacity each (20 fish/tank). After a week of adaptation to environmental conditions, it was provided a diet for 5 weeks, using different levels of inclusion of camu camu extract: 0, 50, 100, 250, and 500 mg/kg of feed. Each treatment consisted of four replicates. It was obtained 40.5 mg of vitamin C/g of camu camu pulp powder by high-performance liquid chromatography. At the end of the trial period, fish were inoculated with Aeromonas hydrophila in the swim bladder. Samples were taken after 6; 24 and 48 h of the challenge. Results revealed that fish supplemented with this herb showed significant increase (P < 0.05) in white blood cells counts in blood and exudate, burst respiratory activity, lysozyme activity, serum bactericidal activity, direct agglutination, and melanomacrophage centers count. Red blood cells count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, and biochemical profile of fish supplemented with the herb presented no statistical differences compared to control group (P > 0.05). No histopathological lesions were observed in intestine, kidney, spleen, and gills. It can be concluded that the addition of Myrciaria dubia in tilapia feed improves the immune response and the growth after 5 weeks, especially, at a dose of 500 mg/kg.
Start page
284
End page
291
Volume
58
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Biología marina, Biología de agua dulce, Limnología Inmunología
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-84988862090
PubMed ID
Source
Fish and Shellfish Immunology
ISSN of the container
1050-4648
Sponsor(s)
The authors thank CAPES (Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel) for a grant to Jefferson Yunis Aguinaga (PECPG-2013).
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus