In vivo protective effect of dietary curcumin in fish Anabas testudineus (Bloch)

The present study describes, for the first time, the protective effect of natural curcumin in vivo in a lower vertebrate, a teleost, Anabas testudineus (Bloch). Two doses of curcumin 0.5 and 1% were supplemented in the 40% protein feed and fed to fish for the periods, 2 and 8 weeks. The antioxidant status, protein content, and the tissue structure in experimental fish were examined after the short-term and long-term feeding. In all the curcumin fed groups, the lipid peroxidation product, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances content either decreased or unaffected. The glutathione content increased while the antioxidant enzyme activity pattern varied with time and dose. The histological analysis also confirmed the safety of curcumin retaining the normal arrangement of hepatocytes, hepatopancreas, macrophage-melanocyte centers in Anabas. The improved antioxidant status and protein content suggest a favorable effect for curcumin in cultured fish.