Efeito da camomila (Matricaria recutita l.) na resistência de juvenis de carpa-capim (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) expostos à hipóxia

Abstract

One of challenges in producing aquaculture is the stress that fish are subjected to daily. Among main stressors is hypoxia, which leads to metabolic decompensation in fish, in an attempt to return to homeostasis. To guarantee welfare of animals produced in aquaculture, a good physiological performance is necessary. To this end, research has been carried out in several areas, such as: biological, physiological, nutritional and pathological. And to try to reduce stress levels in animals, the use of herbal medicines has been used. Chamomile is a medicinal plant known for its influence on the body, acting as a soothing and natural immunostimulant. In this sense, the objective of the present study was to verify the effect of chamomile powder (Matricaria recutita L.) on feeding of grass-carp fingerlings exposed to hypoxia. Chamomile would be an alternative to stress control, and could act on resistance and survival of species in cultivation, when applied directly in diet. Four test treatments with different concentrations of chamomile (0%, 0.5%, 1% and 2%) were added in the feeds, denominated D0, D05, D1 and D2. The experiment was carried out at the Experimental Fish Laboratory, UNIPAMPA - Campus Uruguaiana. A total of 128 grass-carp fingerlings were used, distributed in 16 experimental units, in a closed water circulation system. Animals were separated into two groups, with stress (aerial exposure for 2min) and without stress. Hematocrit (Hmt), Total Plasma Protein (TPP), Glucose (Gluc.) and Lactate (Lact.) were analyzed. There was no significant difference between the stress-free group for hematocrit, PPT and lactate. For glucose, the chamomile worked by reducing the concentration in the D2 treatment. For the group with stress, there was a significant difference only for lactate in the D2 treatment. The means of groups (without stress and stress) when submitted to the Tukey test (p <0.05) showed a significant difference. Although chamomile provided resistance to hypoxia, it was not able to prevent physiological changes in fish, so it did not prevent stress.