This study investigated the effectiveness of eugenol and of the essential oil (EO) of Lippia alba when used in the transport of the silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen). These investigations involved measurements of blood (pH, PvO(2), PvCO(2) and HCO(3) (-)) and water parameters, survival and ionoregulatory balance. Fish (301.24 ± 21.40 g, 28.90 ± 1.30 cm) were transported at a loading density of 169.2 g L(-1) for 4 h in fifteen plastic bags (7 L) divided into five treatments: control, 1.5 or 3.0 μL L(-1) of eugenol and 10 or 20 μL L(-1) of EO of L. alba. The water parameters were measured before (0 h) and after (4 h) transportation. The net Na(+), Cl(-) and K(+) losses were higher in fish from the control treatment compared to the other treatments. The PvO(2), PvCO(2) and HCO(3) (-) increased significantly in all of the treatments at the end of the transport period. In conclusion, based on the water (total ammonia nitrogen) and ionoregulatory indicators determined in the present study, our findings indicate that eugenol and the EO of L. alba are recommended for use in the transport of this species because these anesthetics apparently reduce stress.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the anesthesia induction and recovery times of sub-adult and post-larvae white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) that were treated with eugenol and the essential oils (EOs) from Lippia alba and Aloysia triphylla. Oxidative stress parameters in the hemolymph of this species were also analyzed. The concentrations of eugenol, A. triphylla EO and L. alba EO recommended for anesthesia were 200, 300 and 750 μL L(-1) for sub-adults and 175, 300 and 500 μL L(-1) for post-larvae, respectively. The concentrations studied during the transport of sub-adults were between 20 and 50 μL L(-1) eugenol, 20-30 μL L(-1)A. triphylla EO and 50 μL L(-1)L. alba EO. For post-larvae, the optimal concentrations for transport were 20 μL L(-1) eugenol and between 20 and 50 μL L(-1)A. triphylla EO. The white shrimp sub-adults that were exposed to A. triphylla EO (20 μL L(-1)) showed increases in their total antioxidant capacities (150%), catalase (70%) and glutathione-S-transferase (615%) activity after 6 h. L. alba EO (50 μL L(-1)) and eugenol (20 μL L(-1)) also increased GST activity (1292 and 1315%) after 6 h, and eugenol (20 μL L(-1)) decreased the total antioxidant capacity (100%). Moreover, concentrations above 30 μL L(-1) for the EOs of A. triphylla and L. alba and 20 μL L(-1) eugenol were effective at inducing anesthesia and improving the antioxidant system against reactive oxygen species (ROS) after 6 h.

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The objective of this study was to identify the possible involvement of the GABAergic system in the anesthetic effect of Lippia alba essential oil (EO). We propose a new animal model using silver catfish (Rhamdia quelen) exposed to an anesthetic bath to study the mechanism of action of EO. To observe the induction and potentiation of the anesthetic effect of EO, juvenile silver catfish (9.30 ± 1.85 g; 10.15 ± 0.95 cm; N = 6) were exposed to various concentrations of L. alba EO in the presence or absence of diazepam [an agonist of high-affinity binding sites for benzodiazepinic (BDZ) sites coupled to the GABAA receptor complex]. In another experiment, fish (N = 6) were initially anesthetized with the EO and then transferred to an anesthetic-free aquarium containing flumazenil (a selective antagonist of binding sites for BDZ coupled to the GABAA receptor complex) or water to assess recovery time from the anesthesia. In this case, flumazenil was used to observe the involvement of the GABA-BDZ receptor in the EO mechanism of action. The results showed that diazepam potentiates the anesthetic effect of EO at all concentrations tested. Fish exposed to diazepam and EO showed faster recovery from anesthesia when flumazenil was added to the recovery bath (12.0 ± 0.3 and 7.2 ± 0.7, respectively) than those exposed to water (9.2 ± 0.2 and 3.5 ± 0.3, respectively). In conclusion, the results demonstrated the involvement of the GABAergic system in the anesthetic effect of L. alba EO on silver catfish.