The role of açaí ( Euterpe oleracea Mart. 1824) as a chemoprotective agent in the evaluation of antioxidant defence, oxidative damage and histology of juvenile shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (BOONE, 1931) exposed to ammonia

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of the use of the inclusion of açaí on the diet of shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei on antioxidant and histopathological responses after exposure to ammonia. The shrimps were fed two experimental diets: control and with 10% of açaí inclusion (W/W), for 35 days. Afterwards, the organisms were exposed at four concentrations of ammonia (0.01‐control; 0.26; 0.48 and 0.91 mg NH3‐N L−1) for 96 hr. The total antioxidant capacity (ACAP) of the gills decreased significantly in both diets when exposed to ammonia, whereas in the muscle, the açaí promoted an increase in ACAP. Concomitantly, lipid peroxidation levels increased in the gills and decreased in muscle. After exposure to ammonia, glutathione‐S‐transferase activity increased in hepatopancreas in shrimps fed with açaí facilitating the detoxification of lipid peroxidation by‐products, and the concentration of protein sulfhydryl groups decreased in the gills and muscle of the shrimp of the control diet, evidencing protein damage, an unobserved response in shrimps that received the açaí diet. Histopathological changes decreased in açaí‐fed shrimps about the control diet after exposure to ammonia. It is concluded that açaí mitigated ammonia‐induced histopathological changes, improved the antioxidant defence system (gills and muscle) and attenuated the lipid damage in the muscle.

Behavioural and biochemical responses in adult Pacific white shrimp,Litopenaeus vannamei, exposed to the essential oil ofCymbopogon citratus

“…In turn, reductions in the content of P‐SH groups in shrimp exposed to 10 μl L −1 EOC for 6 h imply a pro‐oxidant scenario. A study by Colombo et al (2020) showed that shrimp fed with açai and exposed to non‐ionized ammonia (NH 3 ) had decreased concentrations of P‐SH in their gills and muscle. Thus, the presence of P‐SH is related to the maintenance and protection of the redox state of proteins, while the depletion of P‐SH demonstrates protein carbonylation (Fedorova et al, 2009).…”

“…Several antioxidant compounds and bioactive molecules from plants have been used as dietary supplements or in immersion baths as they improve immune and antioxidant defence systems in fish and crustaceans (Colombo et al, 2020; He et al, 2017; Parodi et al, 2012; Reverter et al, 2014; Saccol et al, 2016; Sarangarajan et al, 2017; Souza et al, 2017). The use of EOs as sedatives or anaesthetics can improve the antioxidant capacity of shrimp (Akbari et al, 2010; Parodi et al, 2012).…”

Chemoprotection of amazonian Mauritia flexuosa fruit pulp against ammonia and nitrite toxicity to postlarvae shrimps Litopenaeus vannamei

“…In intensive production systems, ammonia concentrations might rise quickly and become toxic, representing a high risk for the reared organisms. Shrimps under increased ammonia-N concentration can present impaired antioxidant capacity, with loss in compensatory antioxidant mechanisms that can cause a severe oxidative stress condition (Romano and Zeng, 2013;Colombo et al, 2020;Wang et al, 2020). Also, nitrite is a toxic nitrogen waste that can induce not only lethal responses in the shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (Ramírez-Rochin et al, 2017) but also affects its gut microbiota, favoring pathogens like Pseudoalteromonadaceae and Vibrionaceae (Huang et al, 2020).…”

“…Stressful conditions are commonly observed in superintensive production systems (Gao et al, 2017;Souza et al, 2019) as elevated ammonia concentration can promote the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) (Ray et al, 2012;Colombo et al, 2020). ROS induction in aquatic animals occurs under unfavorable biochemical and physiological conditions, such as pH, temperature and toxins (Kütter et al, 2014;Birnie-Gauvin et al, 2017).…”

“…The use of food supplementation with bioactive compounds, including pigments, antioxidants, and provitamins, improves several biochemical and physiological functions of reared organisms by neutralizing the excess ROS in tissues (De Jesus Raposo et al, 2015;Colombo et al, 2020). Commercial pelleted feeds are the main food source in aquaculture production but may not provide the nutrients needed for the optimal growth of shrimp (Craig and Helfrich, 2017), and the use of bioactive compounds obtained from natural sources can be a viable strategy.…”