Effect of Dietary Supplementation of Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri) on Growth, Survival and Gut Histology of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Brahmi (Bacopa monnieri), is one of the improtant medicinal herbs used extensively in Ayurvedic medicine for the treatment of various ailments and is also having proven, overall health promoting action. With its various classes of bioactive compounds like the Terpenoids, Saponins, Flavonoids, Phenylethanoid glycosides and Alkaloids, Brahmi exhibits the overall health improvement effect. In the present research work, the effect of dietary supplementation of B. monnieri on the growth, survival and gut histology of O. niloticus was studied. Three test diets, T1, T2, T3 and a Control (T0) with 30% crude protein were formulated. 0.5% of Brahmi(T1), 1.0% of Brahmi(T2), 2.0% of Brahmi(T3) were incorporated in the test diets and diet without any Brahmi, served as a control(T0). In the present study, Weight Gain (249.86±3.921), Specific Growth Rate (SGR) (1.39±0.03%) and Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER) (4.30±0.30%) were significantly higher in T3 when compared to the other treatments and the control (p < 0.05). Significantly better Food Conversion Ratio (FCR) was observed in T3 (1.10±0.07) followed by other treatments and the Control (p < 0.05). In the present study, dietary supplementation of Brahmi improved the overall health of Nile Tilapia when compared to the control. Significantly higher survival percentage of 100% was observed in T3 followed by other treatments and the control (p < 0.05) in the present study. The treatment T3 exhibited longer and wider villi when compared to T2, T1 and Control. The Villi were longer and wider in all the treatments when compared to that of the control. It is clearly evident from the results of the present study that Brahmi is having overall health promoting effect when fed as a dietary supplement to Nile Tilapia and it is recommended to use Brahmi as a dietary supplement in Nile Tilapia at a rate of 2% in the feed for the best growth promoting effects.