Effect of purple coneflower (Echinacea purpora) and garlic (Allium satvium) as a supplemented dietary intake on some non-specific immune status, hematological parameters and growth performance in grower (Huso huso)

Abstract

The effects of orally administered purple cone flower Echinacea purpura and garlic (Allium satvium) on the non-specific immunity and growth condition of beluga weighing 1.15 ± 0.02 kg were evaluated for a period of 60 days. The tree groups of fish were fed two diets containing 0.5% purple coneflower and 1% garlic and a control diet containing no supplemented herb. The growth performance was positively affected by both dietary herbal supplementations (p < 0.05). Among the humoral factors, serum alternative complement, lysozyme and respiratory burst activity increased significantly in all supplemented groups when compared to the control (p < 0.05). These findings demonstrate that dietary Echinacea and garlic can modulate some of the innate defense mechanisms, hematological and growth parameters in Huso huso.

Keywords

• echinacea purpurea
• garlic
• huso huso
• innate immunity