Dietary Astragalus membranaceus polysaccharide ameliorates the growth performance and innate immunity of juvenile crucian carp (Carassius auratus)

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the effects of Astragalus membranaceus polysaccharide (AMP) on the growth and innate immunity of crucian carp (Carassius auratus). Crucian carps were randomly divided into a control group (fed with basal diet) and three AMP groups (received basal diet supplemented with 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg AMP). After 60 days of culture, the crucian carps from each group were weighed, and their immune indexes were measured. Another batch crucian carps from each group was injected with 0.15 ml of 107 CFU/ml Aeromonas hydrophila. The body weight gain, feed conversion rate, specific growth rate and digestive enzyme activity of the crucian carps in the low and middle doses of AMP groups were higher than those in the control group. The AMP groups had significantly higher survival rate and alkaline phosphatase level but lower glutamic–oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic-alanine transaminase and serum bacteria number compared with the control group. The optimal dose of dietary AMP required for the maximum growth of crucian carp was 100 mg/kg. These results showed that AMP could promote the growth of crucian carps, improve their disease resistance and thus may be developed as a dietary supplement.