Terminalia arjuna Bark Powder as a Potential Immunomodulator in Labeo rohita : Enhanced Hematological, Adaptive, and Humoral Responses against Bacterial Pathogens and Concordant Liver Histomorphology

• Published in: Pathogens (Basel) 2024-03, Vol.13 (4), p.295
• Main Authors: Meena, Dharmendra Kumar, Das, Basanta Kumar, Sahoo, Amiya Kumar, Sahu, Narottam Prasad, Srivastava, Prem Prakash, Borah, Simanku
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: adaptive immunity; Animal health; Antibiotics; Aquaculture; Aquaculture products; Bacteria; Biomarkers; Disease; Enzymatic activity; Enzyme activity; Epidemics; Erythrocytes; Feeds; Fish; Fish production; Freshwater fish; Hematocrit; Hematology; Hemoglobin; humoral immunity; Immune response; Immune system; Immunomodulation; Immunomodulators; integrated biomarker response; Labeo rohita; Liver; Lysozyme; Mathematical models; Mortality; Natural products; Nutrition research; Optimization; Parameters; Phagocytosis; Regression analysis; Respiratory burst; Terminalia arjuna
• ISSN: 2076-0817; 2076-0817
• DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13040295

This study investigated the dietary immunomodulatory effects of bark powder (TABP) in , a freshwater fish model. Four iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric diets containing graded levels of TABP (0, 1, 10, and 15 g/kg were fed to fish for 90 days, followed by a 10 day challenge with pathogenic bacteria and . An integrated biomarker response (IBR) approach assessed the impact of TABP on hematological, adaptive, and humoral immune parameters, along with liver histomorphology. Dietary TABP at 10 g/kg significantly enhanced ( < 0.05) hematological indices (hemoglobin, red blood cell count, hematocrit), specific immune parameters (lysosomal enzyme activity, phagocytosis, respiratory burst), and non-specific immune parameters (serum lysozyme, alternative complement activity), and exhibited improvements in liver architecture consistent with the enhanced immune response. Broken line regression analysis showed 11.5 g/kg to be an optimum dose. However, at 15 g/kg, a compromised trend was observed in some parameters. These findings suggest an optimal dosage range for TABP's immunomodulatory effects. The study highlights the potential of TABP as a natural immunomodulator in fish aquaculture. The improved immune response and concomitant liver health observed in opens avenues for further research on TABP's applicability in animal health, using fish as a model organism. Additionally, the IBR approach proved effective in evaluating TABP's immunomodulatory properties, paving the way for similar studies on other natural products in aquaculture.