Ashwagandha's (Withania somnifera) potential effects on growth, intestinal histomorphology, and antioxidant enzyme activity in fingerlings of Catla catla (Hamilton, 1822)

The present work aims to examine the impact of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) on the developmental trajectory of Catla catla fingerlings. A 90-day feeding experiment was carried out using various concentrations of Ashwagandha, with T0 (0%) serving as the control and T1 (2%), T2 (4%), T3 (6%), and T4 (8%). At the conclusion of the trial period, the T3 (6%) group showed a significant (p < 0.05) improvement in growth indices including Specific Growth Rate, Feed Conversion Efficiency, and Protein Efficiency Ratio. The intestinal histomorphology of all therapy groups was consistently normal, with no pathological abnormalities. In contrast to the control, the T3 (6%) group exhibited a more pronounced enhancement in villi parameters, particularly in terms of villi height and width. The excretion of orthophosphate (O-PO4) and ammonia (N-NH4) exhibited a uniform pattern in all treatment groups, with relatively low excretion seen in the T3 (6%) group. Post-feeding, the T0 (0%) group had the greatest excretion of ammonia and orthophosphate compared to the groups fed Ashwagandha-supplemented meals. Furthermore, those fed with Ashwagandha showed significantly (p < 0.05) increased activity of several antioxidant enzymes, including Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT), Glutathione S-Transferases (GST), and Reduced Glutathione (GSH), compared to the control. These findings highlight the capacity of Ashwagandha as a dietary supplement to enhance the general health performance of Catla catla fingerlings in aquaculture.