Immunostimulatory and growth promoting potential of Tinospora cordifolia (Thunb.) Miers on fingerlings of Amur Carp.

The enhancement of immunity of fish through application of natural immunostimulants would help in minimizing the risk of occurrence of diseases in aquaculture. The present study was designed to evaluate the growth promoting and immunostimulatory effect of Guduchi, Tinospora cordifolia (Thunb.) Miers ex Hook F. leaf powder in fingerlings of Amur carp (Cyprinus carpio haeYnatopterus Martens). The fingerlings were divided into four treatment groups, Ti, T2, T₃ and T₄. Experimental diets were prepared by mixing rice bran, deoiled mustard cake, soybean meal and vitamin mineral mixture. The leaf powder of T. cordifolia was incorporated into diets D₂, D₃, and D₄ @ 0.25%, 0.5% and 0.75%, respectively. In control diet D₁, leaf powder of T. cordifolia was not incorporated. T₁ group fishes were fed with D, diet, T2 with D₂, T₃ with D₃ and T₄ with D₄ @ 5% body weight per day for 90 days. Fingerlings fed with diet D₄ achieved significantly improved Specific Growth Rate (1), Feed Conversion Ratio (2.76), and Gross Conversion Efficiency (0.361) as compared .to the control and all other treatments (P <0.05). Hematological and biochemical parameters, total leuckocyte count (53.849x103/[L), total erythrocyte count (3.50x106/iL), hemoglobin concentration (17.17%), total serum protein, albumin and globulin (12.35, 1.56 and 10.78 g/dL) in D₄ diet fed fishes showed increase as compared to the control and all other treatments (P <0.05). The above research revealed that Tinospora cordifolia leaf powder has significant growth promoting and immunostimulatory potential in Amur carp raising.