title: Effect of Sophora flavescens on non-specific immune response of tilapia (GIFT Oreochromis niloticus) and disease resistance against Streptococcus agalactiae.
abstract: The paper describes the effect of a diet supplemented with the Chinese traditional herbal medicine Sophora flavescens on the immunity and disease resistance of an Oreochromis niloticus GIFT strain. Experimental diets containing 0.025%, 0.050%, 0.100%, 0.200%, and 0.400% S. flavescens, as well as a control group without S. flavescens were used. We tested the non-specific humoral immune responses (lysozyme, antiprotease, and complement) and cellular immune responses (reactive oxygen species and nitrogen species production and myeloperoxidase), as well as disease resistance against Streptococcus agalactiae. S. flavescens supplementation at all dose significantly enhanced serum lysozyme, antiprotease, and natural hemolytic complement activity. Similarly, all S. flavescens doses enhanced cellular myeloperoxidase activity. The increased production of reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen intermediates by peripheral blood leucocytes was observed in most of the treatment groups throughout the test period. The fish fed 0.100% S. flavescens had a percent mortality of 21.1% and a relative percent survival of 73.3% compared with the group fed the basal diet during the S. agalactiae challenge. The results suggest that S. flavescens can be recommended as a tilapia feed supplement to enhance fish immunity and disease resistance against S. agalactiae.
authors.affiliation: Guangxi Key Laboratory of Functional Photochemical Research and Utilization, Guangxi Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yanshan, 85, Guilin 541006, Guangxi, China. wyrui@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Ying-rui
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Qing-fang
authors.initials: QF
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Wan-wen
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Rui-jie
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D023681:Cichlids; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000032:analysis; D060467:Disease Resistance / Q000187:drug effects*; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects*; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000187:drug effects*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D029909:Sophora / Q000737:chemistry*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts