Effect of Dietary Parquetina nigrescens Leaf Extract on Growth Performance, Activities of Digestive Enzymes, Serum Biochemical Profile and Antioxidative Status of African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus)

Performance of African catfish on Parquetina nigrescens Leaf Extract

Abstract

The current study sought to determine how dietary Parquetina nigrescens leaf (PNL) affected the performance of Clarias gariepinus. Ethanol extract of PNL was included at 0.0 (control), 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 g/kg diet for C. gariepinus juveniles. The fish (n = 240) were fed the assigned diets for eight weeks to apparent satiation, twice daily in three replicates to determine the growth performance, nutrient utilization and activities of intestinal digestive enzymes. Thereafter, samples of blood were withdrawn from the fish to determine the serum biochemical and anti-oxidative parameters. One-way analysis of variance was used analyze the data generated at P < 0.05. In comparison to the fish fed others diets, fish fed 1.0-1.5 g PNL showed considerable increase in weights, specific growth rate, protein efficiency ratio and reduced feed conversion ratio. Higher fish survival and fish productivity index were obtained at 1.0 g PNL. The fish fed 1.0-1.5 g PNL had higher activities of maltase, lipase, chymotrypsin, and pepsin. Additionally, blood proteins were enhanced, while liver enzymes reduced with dietary PNL. The activities of serum catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione-s-transferase, superoxide dismutase were also boosted in the fish on 1.0-1.5 g PNL. Ultimately, the growth performance of C. gariepinus, as well as its serum biochemical and antioxidative status were enhanced with dietary PNL at 1.0-1.5 g. Hence, PNL inclusion at 1.0 g/kg diet is recommended, as organic supplement, for healthy production performance of the fish.