Dietary curcumin supplementation impacts on growth performance, antioxidant status, and immune response of seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) larvae

Dietary curcumin supplementation has been shown to improve growth, antioxidative and anti-inflammatory status in different fish species. Yet, studies focusing on its effect during the early developmental stages of fish remains limited. The recent study aimed at assessing the effect of dietary curcumin supplementation at different levels on the growth performance, antioxidant enzymes and immune response of seabass larvae (Dicentrarchus labrax). To this end, seabass larvae were reared from 21 to 60 days after hatching, feeding on a standard feeding regime (CONTROL) and diets where LOW, medium (MED) and HIGH curcumin levels were supplemented. Fish were analyzed at the end of the experimental period for biometrical parameters, immune-related genes and activity of antioxidant-related parameters. At the end of the trial, fish from the HIGH treatment had a significantly higher dry weight than fish from the CONTROL, although no significant differences were observed for fish survival. Curcumin supplementation did not affect isolated antioxidant parameters, such as catalase activity, superoxide dismutase, and lipid peroxidation, glutathione peroxidase, but a multivariate analysis where these parameters were included unraveled a significant difference between treatments CONTROL and HIGH in the overall growth, antioxidant and immune response. Furthermore, a significant reduction of Immunoglobulin M (IgM) was found in treatments MED and HIGH in comparison to CONTROL, indicating the modulation of this parameter in seabass larvae may be dosage dependent. In conclusion, dietary curcumin supplementation at HIGH level was able to improve seabass weight and increase its overall health status during the early developmental stages.