title: Astragalus membranaceus (AM) enhances growth performance and antioxidant stress profiles in bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus).
abstract: This study was designed to assess the potential effects of Astragalus membranaceus (AM) on the growth performance and antioxidative stress response in bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) exposed to challenging cold water temperature conditions. In this regard, fish with an average weight of 43 ± 1 g were divided into four groups and fed daily with an AM-free diet (control), and 1.5, 3, and 4.5 % (w/w) AM-incorporated diets for an 8-week period. Oxidative stress response, biochemical, and growth parameters were measured, and subgroups of fish were exposed to the outside challenging cold pond water temperature (1.6-9.9 °C) with an average of 7.0 ± 0.1 °C beyond the optimal temperature. The results showed that incorporating AM in the diet significantly improved growth performance parameters (body mass gain, specific growth rate, length, condition factor, and feed conversion ratio) and biochemicals (aspartate aminotransferase and alanine transaminase activities, and glucose and cortisol concentrations). In addition, markedly up-regulated superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase activities were observed in AM-treated fish groups over the control. Conclusively, feeding AM diets significantly increased (P < 0.05) growth performance and antioxidative stress profiles throughout the entire experiment, and this increase was much more pronounced at 8 weeks after the water temperature began to rise, which can be related to the nature of Bluegill fish as it is known to be a warm water fish. These findings are considered to be of great importance for sustainable aquaculture.
authors.affiliation: Aquaculture Genetics and Breeding Laboratory, The Ohio State University South Centers, Piketon, OH, 45661, USA.|Department of Fish Diseases and Management, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, Moshtohor, Toukh, 13736, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hiam
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Elabd
authors.affiliation: Aquaculture Genetics and Breeding Laboratory, The Ohio State University South Centers, Piketon, OH, 45661, USA. wang.900@osu.edu.
authors.forename: Han-Ping
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Fish Diseases and Management, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, Moshtohor, Toukh, 13736, Egypt.
authors.forename: Adel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shaheen
authors.affiliation: Aquaculture Genetics and Breeding Laboratory, The Ohio State University South Centers, Piketon, OH, 45661, USA.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Department of Fish Diseases and Management, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, Moshtohor, Toukh, 13736, Egypt.
authors.forename: Amany
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abbass
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D017756:Aquaculture / Q000379:methods; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D027885:Astragalus propinquus; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D003080:Cold Temperature; D004032:Diet; D029941:Fish Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D010473:Perciformes / Q000097:blood / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D029941:Fish Proteins; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: Antioxidative stress biomarkers; Biochemical biomarkers; Bluegill; Growth performance; Temperature