TRIGGERING NON-SPECIFIC IMMUNITY OF HETEROPNEUSTES FOSSILIS AGAINST AEROMONAS HYDROPHILA USING HERBAL IMMUNIZATION

Abstract

Heteropneustes fossilis is considered as a cheap and manageable fish species for aquaculture. Aeromonas hydrophila was found as one of principal pathogenic bacteria causing diseases among the stinging catfishes. In the present study, herbal extracts like Coleus aromaticus (CA), Mentha piperita (MP), Leucas aspera (LA) and their combo (Tri Herbal Extract - THE) were utilized in enhancing the immunity of catfishes by intraperitoneal injection along with FKC vaccines against A. hydrophila. FKC vaccines with THE and CA were found to trigger the non-specific immunity, which was analyzed using hematological, biochemical and immunological studies.