Role of Zingiber officinale and autochthonous probiotic Bacillus coagulans in feeds of Catla catla (Hamilton, 1822) for growth promotion, immunostimulation, histoprotection, and control of DNA damage.

Abstract

Experiment was conducted to assess the impact of ginger (Zingiber officinale) as a dietary supplement with probiotic bacterium Bacillus coagulans on growth performance, hematological parameters, and non-specific immune parameters in Catla catla. An attempt was also made to investigate their effects on histology and extent of DNA damage against pathogenic bacterium Aeromonas hydrophila in C. catla. Ten dietary treatments were designed in triplicate in which five groups of fingerlings fed on diets containing different incorporation level of dried ginger at 0gkg-1 (C1; basal diet 1 with duckweed as major protein source), 1gkg-1 (G1), 5gkg-1 (G2), 10gkg-1 (G3), and 15gkg-1 (G4) and other five groups of fingerlings fed on diets (G5-G9) containing different incorporation level of dried ginger at 0, 1, 5, 10, and 15gkg-1 along with probiotic bacterium B. coagulans @ 3000CFUml-1 for 90days. Results clearly revealed significantly (P < 0.05) high values of weight gain, growth % gain in body weight, specific growth rate (SGR), RBC and WBC count, phagocytic activity, respiratory burst activity, serum protein, and serum bactericidal activity in group of fingerlings fed on ginger supplemented diets which further improved with the inclusion of probiotic with best results in treatment G8. Histopathological study and COMET assay reflected that Z. officinale and probiotics protect extent of DNA damage and the digestive organs from the detrimental effects of pathogenic bacteria affirming their positive role and harmonious effects of probiotic bacterium with Z. officinale-supplemented diets.