Pharmacokinetics of Eugenol in Japanese Flounder,Paralichthys olivaceus

Eugenol, which has been used as an anesthetic for fish, was administered to Japanese flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus (127 ± 50.8 g), by bath treatment at concentrations of 0.025, 0.125, and 0.25 mL/L seawater for 10 min and intramuscular injection at 40 μL/fish to investigate the pharmacokinetic characteristics of eugenol in the plasma of Japanese flounder. In the bath treatment test, plasma eugenol concentration increased with increasing eugenol concentration up to 0.125 mL/L and reached steady state within 5 min. After a 10‐min bath treatment in 0.25 mL/L eugenol, plasma eugenol concentration was about 58.4 µg/mL. After transfer into running seawater, plasma eugenol concentration decreased biphasically with half‐lives of 0.0296 h (α‐phase) and 0.289 h (β‐phase). The AUC_0000→0800 was about 16.5 µg h/mL. In administration by intramuscular injection, plasma eugenol concentration increased rapidly after administration and decreased biphasically with half‐lives of 0.0329 h (α‐phase) and 8.08 h (β‐phase). The AUC_0000→0800 was about 52.5 µg h/mL. In both methods of administration, Japanese flounder with average weight of 127 g were effectively anesthetized when plasma eugenol concentrations were between 2.19 and 4.88 µg/mL.     

Comparative assessment of purine nucleotides adenosine,guanosine and inosine monophosphates as functional supplements on growth and health performances of red sea bream,Pagrus major juvenile

Purine nucleotides regulate the cellular functions in the animal body. The current study evaluates the comparative efficacy of dietary purine nucleotides, that is, adenosine monophosphate (AMP), guanosine monophosphate (GMP) and inosine monophosphate (IMP) in red sea bream Pagrus major. Semi‐purified basal diet was formulated (Control, D1) containing 550 g/kg protein, supplemented with purine nucleotides AMP, GMP and IMP at their optimum supplementation level (2, 4 and 4 g/kg) to formulate the experimental diet groups D2, D3 and D4, respectively. Initial weight of 3.5 ± 0.01 g fish was randomly fed test diets in triplicate. After 56 days, % weight gain (p = .003), specific growth rate (p = .003) and apparent lipid digestibility (p = .04) were significantly higher in fish fed diet group D4 followed by D3 and D2. Supplemented groups showed significantly higher feed intake in comparison to control (p = .001). Supplemented groups showed significantly increased and decreased NBT (p = .003) and CAT (p = .003) activity, respectively. Fish fed IMP supplemented diets had significantly lower blood urea nitrogen (p = .04), glutamyl oxaloacetic transaminase (p = .04) and glutamic‐pyruvate transaminase (p = .001) followed by other supplemented groups. Supplemented diet groups showed enhanced stress resistance. Interestingly, D2 and D4 groups showed best oxidative stress status of fish. Therefore, these results indicated that among purine nucleotides, supplementation of IMP could be a more effective nucleotide as functional supplement in red sea bream diet.     

Assessment of reference dietary amino acid pattern for juvenile red sea bream, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pagrus major</Emphasis>

Four semi-purified diets, containing crystalline amino acids (CAAs), were fed to juvenile red sea bream, Pagrus major in order to ascertain the ideal dietary amino acid pattern for this species. A control diet containing 50% casein–gelatin as protein sources, but no CAAs were fed to the fish. The other diets contained 30% casein–gelatin and 20% CAAs. CAAs were added to diets to simulate with amino acid pattern of the red sea bream eggs protein (REP), red sea bream larvae whole body protein (RLP), red sea bream juvenile whole body protein (RJP), and brown fishmeal protein (BFP). The juveniles (average initial body weight, 1.58 ± 0.01 g) were maintained in triplicate tanks and fed twice daily for 30 days. The highest weight gain was observed in juveniles fed the RJP diet. No significant difference was observed in juveniles fed the RLP and BFP diet. Feed efficiency ratio, protein efficiency ratio and amino acid retention in the whole body were significantly (p < 0.05) affected by the simulated dietary amino acid patterns. The essential amino acid profile and A/E ratios of the whole body after the growth trial showed little difference among the dietary treatments. The results suggest that red sea bream juveniles are able to utilize high amounts of CAA in coated form. The amino acid pattern of RJP could be used as an appropriate of reference dietary amino acid for this species.     

Dietary substitution of fishmeal by alternative protein with guanosine monophosphate supplementation influences growth,digestibility, blood chemistry profile,immunity, and stress resistance of red sea bream, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pagrus major</Emphasis>

We determined the effects of complete fishmeal (FM) replacement by alternative protein (soy protein concentrate, SPC) with guanosine monophosphate (GMP) supplementation on growth, digestibility, immunity, blood chemistry profile, and stress resistance of juvenile red sea bream, Pagrus major. FM protein of a FM-based control diet (FM0) was replaced with 33.3 (FM33.3), 66.6 (FM66.7), and 100% (FM100) by SPC protein, and each replacement group was supplemented with 0.4% GMP to formulate four experimental diets. Each diet was randomly allocated to triplicate groups of fish (4.8 g) for 56 days. Results demonstrated that fish fed diet group FM33.3 had the significantly highest final weight, weight gain-specific growth rate, and feed intake. Meanwhile, in comparison to control, growth performance and feed utilization did not significantly differ with 66.7% FM replacement by SPC with GMP supplementation. Apparent digestibility coefficient of protein and lipid also followed a similar trend. All growth, feed utilization, and digestibility parameters were significantly lower in FM100 diet group. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and triglycerides (TG) increased (P < 0.05) with increasing FM replacement level by SPC. Interestingly, total cholesterol level reduces with the increasing level of FM replacement by SPC with GMP supplementation. Fish fed FM0 diet group showed the best condition of both oxidative and freshwater stress resistance. Meanwhile, FM33.3 and FM66.7 diet groups showed acceptable conditions. Innate immune responses enhanced with the increasing FM replacement level by SPC with GMP supplementation. In conclusion, FM could be replaced ≤66.7% by SPC with GMP supplementation in diets for red sea bream without any adverse effects on fish performances.     

Effects of replacing fishmeal with fermented and non‐fermented rapeseed meal on the growth,immune and antioxidant responses of red sea bream (Pagrus major)

The effect of rapeseed meal (RM) and Aspergillus oryzae fermented rapeseed meal (RM‐Koji) on red sea bream (Pagrus major) was examined. Three groups of fish (initial weight, 4.5 ± 0.02 g) were fed a basal diet (RM0) and two test diets where half of fishmeal was replaced by RM (RM50) and RM‐Koji (FRM50) for 56 days. The obtained results showed that fish fed RM0 and FRM50 exerted significantly higher growth performance, feed utilization and haemoglobin level but lower triglyceride and cholesterol than RM50 group (p < 0.05). Interestingly, except of antiprotease activity, all the immune parameters including lysozyme, respiratory burst (NBT) and bactericidal activities were significantly increased in fish fed RM0 and FRM50 diets compared to RM50 diet (p < 0.05). In addition, malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen metabolites were significantly reduced in RM0 and FRM50 groups over RM50 group (p < 0.05). The present results suggest that fermented RM induced better growth performance and immune responses than feeding red sea bream with non‐fermented RM and both RM and RM‐Koji improved the antioxidative status of fish, making RM‐Koji an interesting candidate as a functional feed for aquatic animals.     

Interactive effects of dietary astaxanthin and cholesterol on the growth,pigmentation, fatty acid analysis,immune response and stress resistance of kuruma shrimp (Marsupenaeus japonicus)

A 56‐day feeding trial was carried out to evaluate the interactive effects of chemically synthesized astaxanthin (Ax) and cholesterol (CHO) on the performances of kuruma shrimp juveniles. Six experimental diets containing 2 levels of Ax (0 and 0.6 g/kg diet) and 3 levels of CHO (0, 6 and 20 g/kg diet) were formulated in 2 × 3 factorial design. The results indicated that the interactions between dietary CHO and Ax were not significant on survival, growth performances, body proximate analysis, immune response and freshwater stress test. Significantly, better pigmentation performances and Ax contents of different parts of juveniles (whole body, muscle, carapace and head) were observed in higher Ax (Ax_0.6)‐supplemented groups. Meanwhile, interactions of dietary Ax and CHO were also found on colour reading parameters and whole‐body Ax contents. In addition, juveniles fed with the diet containing Ax at 0.6 g/kg diet in addition to CHO at 0, 6 and 20 g/kg diet showed better performances on digestive enzyme activities (protease, lipase and amylase) of hepatopancreas than 0 g Ax/kg diet supplemented with CHO at 0, 6 and 20 g/kg diet. It was concluded that dietary Ax and CHO functioned interactively.