Dietary ethanolic extract of Prosopis juliflora improved immune-antioxidant capacity and resistance to cold water stress in Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei

Prosopis species, particularly Prosopis juliflora are known for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. The present study evaluated the effect of three doses of dietary ethanolic leaf extract of P. juliflora (ELEPJ), i.e., 0.25, 0.5, and 1% on the immune- antioxidant system and the resistance to cold water stress in Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei. After 60 days of the feeding trial, the shrimps fed diets containing 0.5 and 1% ELEPJ showed significantly higher lysozyme activity, superoxide dismutase, phenol oxidase, and glutathione peroxidase than those of the control group (p<0.05). In response to the cold water stress, the shrimp fed diets containing 0.5 and 1% of ELEPJ showed significantly higher stress resistance than the control group. These results suggest the positive effects of ELEPJ on the immune-antioxidant system and stress resistance of L. vannamei and supplementation of 0.5-1% ELEPJ is recommended for the farm-raised shrimp diet.