Effect of Dietary Supplementation of Achyranthes aspera Seed on the Immune System of Labeo rohita Fry

Abstract

Labeo rohita (rohu) fry (0.547±0.01 g) were fed one of four diets containing 0 (control), 0.1, 0.5, or 1.0% Achyranthes aspera seed. After 30 days, the fry were immunized with chicken red blood cells (c-RBC). Blood samples were collected 7, 14, and 21 days after immunization. Significantly (p<0.05) higher average weight (2.565±0.02 g) and SGR were were obtained in fry fed the 1.0% diet compared to others. The increase in average weight was directly related to the increasing dose of seed. FCR was significantly (p<0.05) lower in fry fed the 1.0% diet while total serum protein, albumin, and globulin were higher in treated groups than in the unsupplemented control. The antigen-specific antibody titer level was significantly (p<0.05) lower in rohu fed the control diet than in rohu fed the supplemented diets. Titer levels were 32-128, 128-256, 256-1024, and 256-1024 in the 0, 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0% diets, respectively. Serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase (SGPT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were significantly (p<0.05) higher in rohu fed the control diet than in rohu fed the supplemented diets while myeloperoxidas was lower in the former. Among the treated groups, myeloperoxidase was significantly (p<0.05) higher in rohu fed the 1.0% diet (1.561-2.558, ? 450 nm) than in those fed other diets. The present study documents the immunostimulatory properties of A. aspera seed and finds that a dose of 1.0% might be suitable for rohu fry.