Pemanfaatan ekstrak daun akar kucing (Acalypha indica) sebagai modulator imun pada benih ikan Nila, Oreochromis niloticus

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the effect of Acalypha indica leaf extract on the immune response of Nile tilapia and determine the appropriate concentration of extract capable of increasing total leukocytes and phagocytic activity of fish. The leaves of collected plants were separated from the stems, washed, dried at room temperature and ground to obtain leaf powder. Furthermore, the leaf flour was extracted by maceration in ethanol (40 grams of leaf flour soaked in 200 mL ethanol). The soaking process was carried out for 3x24 hours while stirring occasionally. The extract was filtered using Whatman filter paper and concentrated through an evaporation process for several days at room temperature. The treatments used were different extract concentrations as follows: A: 0 g concentrated extract/kg feed, B: 10 g concentrated extract/kg feed, C: 20 g concentrated extract/kg feed, D: 30 g concentrated extract/kg feed and E: 40 g concentrated extract/kg feed. The treatment feed was given to fish for 30 days at a dose of 3%/body weight/day and the frequency of administration was two times a day, at 09.00 and 16.00. At the end of the feeding, fish blood samples were taken to measure total leukocytes and phagocytic activity. Fish blood samples were taken from the caudal vein using a 1 mL syringe previously been rinsed with 10% EDTA as an anti-coagulant. To count the total leukocytes, 50 µL of blood was taken and added with Turk's solution with a blood ratio: Turk's = 1:10 and incubated for 5 minutes. Phagocytosis activity was measured by taking 50 µL of blood added with 50 µL of baker's yeast cells as a stimulant and incubated for 20 minutes, then prepared blood smear, stained with Giemsa and observed under a light microscope. The results showed that application of A. indica leaf extract to Nile tilapia juveniles had a significant effect on increasing total leukocyte and phagocytic activity (p<0.01). The best total leukocyte and phagocytic activity was achieved at a dose of 20-30 g/kg of feed with a duration of administration of 30 days.