Hepatoprotective effects of dietary Artemisia (Artemisia annua) leaf extract on common carp (Cyprinus carpio) exposed to ambient ammonia

Abstract

In this study, antioxidant capacity of Artemisia (Artemisia annua) leaf extract (AE) were assessed, in vitro, followed by evaluation of dietary AE administration on hepatic health of common carp (Cyprinus carpio), during ammonia exposure. For this, common carp juveniles were fed diets supplemented with 0, 0.5, 1 and 2 g kg−1 AE for 30 days and then, exposed to 0.5 mg L−1 water unionized ammonia nitrogen for 24 h. Plasma alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and total protein, as well as hepatic levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), and activity and gene expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were monitored. The results showed that AE had antioxidant properties, in vitro. Moreover, Dietary AE administration had no significant effects on plasma ALT, AST and ALP activities before ammonia exposure, but mitigated the enzymes elevation after the ammonia exposure. Dietary AE administration significantly increased plasma total protein before the ammonia exposure and mitigated/inhibited the ammonia-induced hypoproteinemia. In addition, the fish fed with the AE-supplemented diets showed higher hepatic antioxidant enzyme activity and gene expression and lower hepatic MDA levels, before the ammonia exposure. AE significantly mitigated/inhibited the ammonia-induced increase in hepatic antioxidant enzymes activities and gene expressions as well as hepatic MDA levels. In conclusion, AE is suitable antioxidant agent and can be used as feed additive to prevent hepatotoxicity of common carp during ammonia exposure.