ARTICLE NAME:

EVALUATION OF IMMUNOMODULATORY AND GROWTH PROMOTING POTENTIAL OF β-GLUCAN IN LABEO ROHITA

AUTHOR NAME

A. SIVAGURUNATHAN AND B. XAVIER INNOCENT

ISSUE:

VOL.1, NO.2

YEAR:

2018

PAGE NO:

233-248

ABSTRACT:

Fish is the cheapest source of good Protein, hence there is a good scope for in-land Aquaculture. Growth and disease resistance are directly related to good health. Immunostimulants are substances that improve the disease resistance potential by activating and strengthening the non-specific and or specific immunity thereby reducing the susceptibility of the organism to infections. The present work is aimed to evaluate the growth promoting and immunostimulating potential of β-glucan in the fish Labeo rohita. Three different concentrations of β-glucan (250mg, 500mg and 1000mg) incorporated diet are fed to the experimental fish for 40 days. Growth, haematological, serum biochemical and immunological parameters were analysed at the end of the experimental period. Significant improvement in specific growth rate, total leucocyte and lymphocyte was observed in 250mg glucan fed fishes, whereas haemoglobin, serum protein, globulin concentrations were significantly higher in 500mg glucan diet group fishes. The immunological parameters like agglutinating antibody titre, bactericidal activity, lysosomal concentration and myeloperoxidase activity had tremendously improved in 500mg glucan diet fed fishes. No significant changes were observed in blood cholesterol and blood glucose level. Glucan induced improvement in blood cellular changes can be correlated to improved serum biochemical and immunological changes. Thus incorporation of β-glucan in diet strengthens both cellular and humoral immunity.

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