Skip to main content
Have a personal or library account? Click to login
Dietary herbal leaves mixture extract stimulated growth, health and resistance of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, to Dactylogyrus vastator infestation Cover

Dietary herbal leaves mixture extract stimulated growth, health and resistance of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, to Dactylogyrus vastator infestation

Annals of Animal Science
AHEAD OF PRINT
By: ,  ,  ,   and    
Open Access
|Jun 2026
Figures & tables

Figures & Tables

Table 1.

Quantitative analysis of secondary metabolites in the HMLE1

ParameterValue (mg 100 g−1)
Alkaloids350.3
Flavonoids72.4
Saponins49.9
Steroids114.3
Tannins63.5
Terpenoids702.6

1 HMLE = T. procumbens, M. scaber, M. pruriens, and C. papaya leaves extract.

Table 2.

Selected phyto-constituents identified in HMLE1

Name of compoundRT2 (min)MF3MW (g mol−1)4Conc. (%)5QP (%)6
Bifemelane23.17C18H23NO269.42.198
α-pinene9.72C10H16136.22.499
β-Sitosterol20.13C29H50O414.71.196
p-Cymere26.19C10H14134.22.489
Cadimene23.15C15H26206.371.493
Caryophyllene22.67C15H24204.350.298
Eicosanoic acid22.81C20H40O2312.51.178
Octadecanoic acid22.84C18H36O2284.54.356
Salicyclic acid1.87C7H6O3138.125.798
Phytol25.31C20H40O296.57.380
Oleic acid27.71C18H34O2282.51.194
Tricosane23.76C23H48324.62.788
Protocatehuic acid11.12C7H6O4154.122.376
p-Coumaric acid11.89C9H8O3164.160.799
Caffeic acid13.03C9H8O4180.164.197
Kaempferol19.62C15H10O6286.243.779
Quercetin20.86C15H10O7302.231.192
Chlorogeric acid20.01C16H18O9354.314.880
Campesterol35.21C28H48O400.703.265
Stigmasterol35.55C29H48O412.704.193
17-octadecynoic acid4.29C18H32O2280.402.199
Neophytadiene22.43C20H38278.502.791
n-Hexadecanoic acid23.57C16H32O2256.421.368
Undecane11.19C11H24156.313.598
Linoleic acid28.21C18H32O2280.403.694
Stearic acid28.47C18H36O2284.501.299
Trimethylsilane19.47C3H10Si74.202.385
N-(Trimethylsilyl)acetamide8.35C5H13NOSi131.252.798

1 HMLE = T. procumbens, M. scaber, M. pruriens, and C. papaya leaves extract.

2 RT: retention time;

3 MF: molecular formula;

4 MW: molecular weight,

5 Conc. (%): percentage concentration;

6 Qual. Peak: Quality Peak.

Table 3.

Components and proximate composition analysis (g kg−1 diet on dry matter basis) of diets containing different levels of HMLE

Ingredients (g kg−1)HMLE1 diets (g kg−1)
0246
Fish meal (55% CP)250250250250
Soybean meal (45% CP)250250250250
Maize flour430428426424
Vegetable oil10101010
Vitamin premixes220202020
Minerals premixes320202020
Starch20202020
HMLE0246
Total1000100010001000
Proximate analysis (g kg−1)
Dry matter917917913914
Crude protein309310310312
Ether extract81818282
Total ash83828383
Crude fibre45454646

1 HMLE = T. procumbens, M. scaber, M. pruriens, and C. papaya leaves extract.

2 Vitamin premix (per kg of premix): thiamine, 2.5 g; riboflavin, 2.5 g; pyridoxine, 2.0 g; inositol, 100.0 g; biotin, 0.3 g; pantothenic acid, 100.0 g; folic acid, 0.75 g; para-aminobenzoic acid, 2.5 g; choline, 200.0 g; nicotinic acid, 10.0 g; cyanocobalamine, 0.005 g; α-tocopherol acetate, 20.1 g; menadione, 2.0 g; retinol palmitate, 100,000 IU; cholecalciferol, 500,000 IU.

3 Mineral premix (per kg of premix): CaHPO4·2H2O, 727.2 g; MgCO3·7H2O, 127.5 g; KCl 50.0 g; NaCl, 60.0 g; FeC6H5O7·3H2O, 25.0 g; ZnCO3, 5.5 g; MnCl2·4H2O, 2.5 g; CuCl2, 0.785 g; CoCl3·6H2O, 0.477 g; CaIO3·6H2O, 0.295 g; CrCl3·6H2O, 0.128 g; AlCl3·6H2O, 0.54 g; Na2SeO3, 0.3 g.

Table 4.

Growth performance, nutrient utilization and survival rate of Nile tilapia fed with diets fortified with different levels of HMLE for 8 weeks1 (n=3)

Growth indices2HMLE3 diets (g kg−1)PSE4P-value
0246
IBW (g)5.1 a5.1 a5.2 a5.1 a0.0120.625
FBW (g)30.2 d36.1 b38.3 a38.6 a2.3410.001
BWG (g)25.1 b31.0 a33.1 a33.5 a1.3390.003
DBWG (g day−1)0.5 a0.6 a0.6 a0.6 a0.0110.561
SGR (% day−1)3.2 b3.5 a3.6 a3.6 a0.0810.001
FI (g)38.2 c47.1 b50.0 a50.0 a3.411<0.001
FCR1.52 a1.52 a1.48 a1.49 a0.0240.051
SR (%)91.7 a95.0 a95.0 a93.0 a1.9760.326

1 Values are mean of four replicates aquaria with 15 fish per aquarium.

2 IBW, initial body weight, FBW, final body weight, BWG, body weight gain, DBWG, daily body weight gain, SGR, specific growth rate, FI, feed intake, FCR, feed conversion ratio, SR, fish survival rates.

3 HMLE = T. procumbens, M. scaber, M. pruriens, and C. papaya leaves extract.

4 PSE, Pooled standard error.

Means having the same letters in the same row are not significantly different at P>0.05.

Table 5.

Haematological parameters of Nile tilapia fed diets containing various levels of HMLE for 8 weeks1 (n=3)

Parameter2HMLE3 diets (g kg−1)PSE4P-value
0246
PCV (%)18.8 b18.9 a28.4 a28.6 a0.8450.011
Hb (g L−1)45.5 c58.2 b64.3 a66.4 a1.4210.003
RBC (cells µL−1)1.21 c1.28 b1.35 a1.39 a0.0210.001
WBC (× 103 µL)115.4 c128.4 c167.1 b198.5 a6.6120.004
PLT (× 103 µL)132.3 d156.5 c188.2 b215.7 a12.6710.001
LYM (%)43.0 b58.0 a61.0 a63.0 a5.3020.005
HET (%)44.4 a30.0 b26.0 c25.0 c4.1130.013
MON (%)5.8 a5.2 ab4.9 b4.6 b0.1030.020
EOS (%)4.2 a3.7 a3.5 a3.3 a0.0110.031
BAS (%)2.6 b3.1 b4.6 a4.1 a0.1120.002

1 Values are mean of four replicates aquaria with 15 fish per aquarium.

2 PCV, packed cell volume, Hb, haemoglobin, RBC, red blood cells, WBC, white blood cells, PLT, platelets, LYM, lymphocytes, MON, monocytes, EOS, eosinophils, BAS, basophils.

3 HMLE = T. procumbens, M. scaber, M. pruriens, and C. papaya leaves extract.

4 PSE, Pooled standard error.

Means having the same letters in the same row are not significantly different at P>0.05.

Table 6.

Hepatic parameters of Nile tilapia fed with diets containing various levels of HMLE for 8 weeks1 (n=3)

HMLE2 diets (g kg−1)Parameter3
ALP (IU mL−1)AST (IU mL−1)ALT (IU mL−1)
030.2 a35.4 a28.5 a
226.1 b28.3 b25.2 b
420.4 c25.2 c21.3 c
619.8 c20.6 d15.4 d
PSE41.0223.2155.111
P-value0.0120.0010.003

1 Values are mean of four replicates aquaria with 15 fish per aquarium.

2 HMLE = T. procumbens, M. scaber, M. pruriens, and C. papaya leaves extract.

3 ALP, alkaline phosphatase, AST, aspartate aminotransferase, ALT, alanine aminotransferase.

4 PSE, Pooled standard error.

Means having the same letters in the same column are not significantly different at P>0.05.

Table 7.

Antioxidants and immune status of Nile tilapia fed diets containing various levels of HMLE for 8 weeks (n=3)1

Parameter2HMLE3 diets (g kg−1)PSE4P-value
0246
CAT (IU L−1)18.9 b22.4 b29.8 a32.1 a2.0320.001
SOD (IU L−1)17.8 d24.3 c28.6 b35.3 a1.6710.003
MDA (nmol L−1)4.21 a38.6 a3.02 b2.46 c0.2120.001
RBA (mg mL−1)0.2 d0.5 c0.9 b1.3 a0.0130.001
LYZ (unit mg−1 protein)3.3 d7.2 c9.4 b13.1 a0.6290.013

1 Values are mean of four replicates aquaria with 15 fish per aquarium.

2 CAT, catalase, SOD, superoxide dismutase, MDA, malondialdehyde, RBA, respiratory burst activity (RBA), LYZ, lysozyme.

3 HMLE = T. procumbens, M. scaber, M. pruriens, and C. papaya leaves extract.

4 PSE, Pooled standard error.

Means having the same letters in the same row are not significantly different at P>0.05.

Table 8.

Intestinal histomorphometry of Nile tilapia fed with diets containing various levels of HMLE for 8 weeks1 (n=3)

HMLE2 diets (g kg−1)Parameter3
VL (µm)VW (µm)AA (µm2)
067.4 c17.2 c1159.3 d
295.6 b19.3 c1845.1 c
4132.5 a23.1 b3060.6 b
6136.1 a27.2 a3701.9 a
PSE48.2353.718283.7
P-value<0.0010.0010.004

1 Values are mean of four replicates aquaria with 15 fish per aquarium.

2 HMLE = T. procumbens, M. scaber, M. pruriens, and C. papaya leaves extract.

3 HL, villi length, VW, villi width, AA, areas of absorption.

4 PSE, Pooled standard error.

Means having the same letters in the same column are not significantly different at P>0.05.

Figure 1.

Gut morphology of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, fed different levels of dietary HMLE for 8 weeks1. (a) Gut morphology of fish fed the control (0) diet, (b) 2 g/kg, (c) 4 g/kg, and (d) 6 g/kg of HMLE-based diet. Arrow (green colour) = villus length, arrow (red colour) = villus width (HE ×40, 100) (n=3).

1HMLE = T. procumbens, M. scaber, M. pruriens, and C. papaya leaves extract

Figure 2.

Post-infestation mortality of Nile tilapia fed with diets containing various levels of HMLE1 for 8 weeks2 (n=3)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/aoas-2025-0114 | Journal eISSN: 2300-8733 (formerly 1642-3402) | Journal ISSN: 1642-3402
Journal RSS Feed
Language: English
Submitted on: Jan 10, 2025
Accepted on: Oct 7, 2025
Published on: Jun 3, 2026
Published by: National Research Institute of Animal Production
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 4 issues per year
Keywords:
Nile tilapia,
growth,
herbal mixture,
immunity,
Dactylogyrus vastator
Related subjects:
Medicine,
Veterinary medicine

© 2026 Bilal Ahamad Paray, Eijaz Ahmed Bhat, Sahid Sherzada, Olarinke V. Adeniyi, Ibrahim Adeshina, published by National Research Institute of Animal Production
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

AHEAD OF PRINT
Previous article
Next article