Abarike Emmanuel Delwin, Jian Jichang, Tang Jufen, Cai Jia, Yu Huang, Chen Lihua
College of Fishery, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang, 524088, China.
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Biology and Epidemiology for Aquatic Animals, Zhanjiang, 524088, China.
J Aquat Anim Health. 2019 Mar;31(1):46-55. doi: 10.1002/aah.10049. Epub 2019 Feb 15.
Herbal supplements are suitable for improving fish health and combating diseases in fish culture. However, the mechanism of action of many herbal mixtures remains unclear. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM; a mix of Astragalus membranaceus, Angelica sinensis, and Crataegus hupehensis at a ratio of 1:1:1 on a weight basis) on growth, immune response, and disease resistance in Nile tilapia Oreochromis niloticus. Experimental fish (mean ± SE weight = 57 ± 1 g) were divided into two groups: a control group and a TCM (10 g/kg) group. After 4 weeks of the experimental trial, a significant increase in weight gain and specific growth rate and a lower feed conversion ratio were observed in fish fed a TCM-supplemented diet compared with control fish. Similarly, the immune response of Nile Tilapia in the TCM group showed enhanced lysozyme, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and immunoglobulin levels compared with the control fish. In comparison with the control, fish fed TCM showed significant up-regulation of β-defensin, lysozyme, heat shock protein 70, superoxide dismutase, and catalase genes in the intestine and head-kidney tissues. After a Streptococcus agalactiae challenge, survival of Nile Tilapia in the TCM group was 70% compared with 35% in the control. These results indicate that the TCM mixture in this study can elevate the immune response and disease resistance of Nile Tilapia.
草药补充剂适用于改善鱼类健康和防治水产养殖中的疾病。然而，许多草药混合物的作用机制仍不清楚。本研究旨在评估中药（黄芪、当归和湖北山楂按重量比1:1:1混合）对尼罗罗非鱼生长、免疫反应和抗病性的影响。实验鱼（平均体重±标准误=57±1克）分为两组：对照组和中药（10克/千克）组。经过4周的实验，与对照鱼相比，喂食添加中药饲料的鱼体重增加和特定生长率显著提高，饲料转化率降低。同样，中药组尼罗罗非鱼的免疫反应显示，与对照鱼相比，溶菌酶、超氧化物歧化酶、过氧化氢酶和免疫球蛋白水平有所提高。与对照组相比，喂食中药的鱼在肠道和头肾组织中β-防御素、溶菌酶、热休克蛋白70、超氧化物歧化酶和过氧化氢酶基因显著上调。在无乳链球菌攻击后，中药组尼罗罗非鱼的存活率为70%，而对照组为35%。这些结果表明，本研究中的中药混合物可以提高尼罗罗非鱼的免疫反应和抗病性。
