Impact of dietary essential oils of Coriander (Corriandrum sativum) and Basil (Ocimum basilicum) on growth, digestive enzymes, antioxidant activity and intestinal histology of fingerling Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Mohamed, Yousef T.; Shalaby, Shymaa M.; El-Dakar, Ashraf Y.; Rashad, Mohamed M.; Abdel-Aziz, Mohamed F.

doi:10.21608/maj.2024.411255

Impact of dietary essential oils of Coriander (Corriandrum sativum) and Basil (Ocimum basilicum) on growth, digestive enzymes, antioxidant activity and intestinal histology of fingerling Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Aquaculture and Biotechnology, Faculty of Aquaculture and Marine Fisheries, Arish University, Arish, Egypt

² Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, Suze University, Egypt

³ Depatment of Marine Ecology, Faculty of Aquaculture and Marine Fisheries, Arish University, Egypt

10.21608/maj.2024.411255

Abstract

Dietary phytobiotics and their derivatives of essential oils (Eos) are crucial to intensive systems due to their high content of bioactive compounds that improve the immunity and health of fish under stressful conditions. A 42-day feeding trial evaluated the effects of coriander and basil oils on the growth performance, digestibility and antioxidant activities of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings. Six experimental groups were designed as: 1) Control: fish fed a basal diet; 2) 5BO: basal diet with 0.5% basil oil; 3) 5CO: basal diet with 0.5% coriander oil; 4) 5BO5CO: diet with 0.5% basil and 0.5% coriander oils; 5) 10CO: basal diet with 1% coriander oil; 6) 5BO10CO: diet with 0.5% basil and 1% coriander oils. A total of 210 fingerlings with an average initial weight of (3.35±0.26) were divided into 12 cages (80 L) with a density of 15 fish/ cage and fed 5% of their biomass twice daily with a basal diet containing 30% crude protein. Results illustrated, that fish fed dietary 0.5 % of coriander oil was the best in growth and physiological indices. However, growth indicators of fish fed with basil oil alone were the least. Besides, hepatic antioxidants showed that the group of 5BO5CO had the highest total antioxidant capacity with the lowest malonaldehyde. Additionally, significant improvements in intestinal tissues, including enhanced villi structure and absorption capabilities. Above all, dietary coriander oil at the treated doses positively affected the performance and physiological status of fish either blended with basil oil or alone.

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