Effects of dietary, Nettle Urtica dioica hydroalkohalic extract on some hematological and biochemical parameters in Goldfish Carassius auratus

Today, the use of natural immunostimulant such as medical plants has been growing in aquaculture an alternative of chemicals and antibiotics in control of fish disease. The present study was done to investigate the effects of Urtica dioica hydroalkohalic extract on some hematological parameters (white and red blood cell count, hemoglobin, hematocrit, MCHC, MCV and MCH) and biochemical indices (glucose, cholesterol, albumin and total protein) in Carassius auratus. For this purpose, fish with an average weight of 21.88 ± 4.7gr divided in 3 treated groups, fed 2, 4 and 8 g/kg of Urtica dioica supplementation and the control group in 2 replicates (7 treatments with 2 replicates). According to the result no significant differences were revealed in hemoglobin, hematocrite, MCH, MCHC and MCV in fish fed supplementation of these extracts (p>0.05). Albumin showed a significant increase in fish fed 4g/kg Urtica dioica compare to control and other groups. Glucose, Cholesterol and triglyceride levels didn’t show significant differences in fish fed extracts compare to control (p>0.05). It appears that supplementation of diet with Urtica dioica could improve physiologic parameters in Carassius auratus.