Dietary Effects of Turmeric (Curcuma longa) on Reducing Liver and Kidney Damage Caused by Exposure to Copper Sulfate in Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Copper sulfate is an approved chemical for snail and aquatic plant control with a wide range of application in warm water fish ponds. In the present study, effects of oral turmeric (Curcuma longa) were investigated on suppressing liver and kidney pathology of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) exposed to copper sulfate. For this, a total of 180 carp fingerlings with average weight of 16.51±2.43 g were distributed in 12 fiberglass tanks. Three experimental treatments and one control group (with 3 replications) were used for this experiment. The fish were fed (3% of body weight) with diets containing 0, 0.5, 1 and 2% supplemented turmeric for 6 weeks. At the end of this period, the fish were challenged with 1 ppm copper sulfate for one week and then, hepatic enzymes and liver and kidney histopathology were monitored. According to the results, activity of alanine transaminase and aspartate transaminase activity significantly decreased in in the fish fed 1 and 2% turmeric compared to the other treatments; however, alkaline phosphatase activity of these two treatments was higher after copper sulfate challenge (p