Recuperative effects of honey bee pollen, ginger (Zingiber officinale), and Moringa oleifera in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.) after sub-lethal exposure to dimethoate

Abstract

This study investigated the efficacies of honey bee pollen (HBP), ginger (Zingiber officinale), and Moringa oleifera leaves (MOL) as feed additives to counteract dimethoate (DM) toxicity in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus L.). The fish were divided into eight treatment groups: G1 (control group; basal diet + no DM exposure), G2 (2.5% HBP-supplemented diet + no DM exposure), G3 (2.5% ginger-supplemented diet + no DM exposure), G4 (2.5% MOL-supplemented diet + no DM exposure), G5 (basal diet + DM exposure), G6 (2.5% HBP-supplemented diet + DM exposure), G7 (2.5% ginger-supplemented diet + DM exposure), and G8 (2.5% MOL-supplemented diet + DM exposure). The study was conducted over 30 days, with blood and tissue sample collection on days 15 and 30. Exposure to DM significantly decreased the serum levels of total protein and globulin, while significantly increasing the glucose, total cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, urea, creatinine, creatinine kinase, liver malondialdehyde, total-superoxide dismutase, and catalase levels. By contrast, dietary supplementation of DM-exposed fish with HBP, ginger, or MOL significantly increased the total protein, albumin, and globulin levels and significantly decreased the glucose and total cholesterol levels compared with DM-exposed fish that were fed the basal diet. DM exposure also significantly increased the number of chromosomal aberrations compared with the control, but this effect was ameliorated by addition of the feed additives. The liver, kidneys, and gills had normal histological structures in the control group and the supplemented groups with no DM exposure (G2–G4). DM exposure had damaging effects, with multiple areas of hemorrhage, edema, and necrosis being observed. However, the severity of this was ameliorated by the addition of HBP, ginger, or MOL to the diet. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with HBP, ginger, or MOL improved the antioxidant capacity of Nile tilapia to cope with the biochemical changes, chromosomal aberrations, and pathological alterations that are induced by DM exposure.