The resistance to ammonia stress of Penaeus monodon fabricius juvenile fed diets supplemented with astaxanthin

This study was aimed at determining if the increase of body astaxanthin content through dietary supplementation in tiger prawn Penaeus monodon juvenile could enhance its antioxidant defense capability and resistance to ammonia stress. Haemolymph total antioxidant status (TAS) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were chosen as parameters of shrimp antioxidant capacity. Resistance to chemical stress was evaluated by shrimp survival rate, and haemolymph aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). P. monodon 5-day postlarvae were fed diets supplemented with 0 and 71.5 mg kg(-1) astaxanthin for 8 weeks. Shrimps were then subjected to 72-h exposure of ammonia at 0.02, 0.2, 2 and 20 mg l(-1). The survival rates of the astaxanthin-fed (AX) shrimp were higher than those of the control shrimp under all levels of ammonia except 20 mg l(-1), showing that the shrimp's resistance to ammonia stress had been improved by dietary astaxanthin. AX shrimp had higher TAS than control shrimp at ammonia levels higher than 0.02 mg l(-1) and lower SOD at all ammonia levels suggested that antioxidation capability had been greatly enhanced. AST in AX shrimp was lower than that in control shrimp under all levels of ammonia stress. ALT in AX shrimp was either lower than or equal to that in control shrimp under various levels of ammonia. Both AST and ALT reflected that shrimp hepatopancreatic function had been improved by dietary astaxanthin. Astaxanthin can become essential for P. monodon when the animal is under ammonia stress. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.