Dietary trans‐cinnamic acid application for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss): II. Effect on antioxidant status, digestive enzyme, blood biochemistry and liver antioxidant gene expression responses

Abstract

The present study investigated the effects of dietary trans‐cinnamic acid (TrCin) on growth performance, biochemical composition, fatty acid composition, blood biochemistry, antioxidant status, digestive enzyme and liver antioxidant gene (EF1α, SOD1, SOD2, CAT, GPX1, GPX4, GR and GST) expression responses of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. Five experimental groups of fish with mean weights of 17.49 ± 0.08 g were used in the study; four of them were fed with TrCin‐supplemented diets (0.25 g/kg TrCin25, 0.50 g/kg TrCin50, 0.75 g/kg TrCin75 and 1.50 g/kg TrCin150), whereas an additive‐free basal diet served as the control (Cntr). At the end of the 60‐day feeding trial, the growth performance, biochemical composition and fatty acid composition were similar for all experimental groups. A decrease was observed in intestinal and stomach pH, serum triglyceride and AST, ALT, LDH and ALP levels in fish fed with especially 0.50 g/kg TrCin‐supplemented diet. Moreover, dietary TrCin especially at 0.50 g/kg incorporation level significantly increased the serum SOD and liver SOD2, CAT, GST, GPX1, GPX4 and GR gene expression responses. As a conclusion, feeding rainbow trout for a period of 60 days with a diet containing 0.50 g/kg TrCin might be sufficiently enough to improve the levels of antioxidant enzymes and health status in fish.