"Thyme and Thymol as Immunostimulants in Cultured Oreochromis niloticus"

Abstract

The present study investigated the effects of thyme and thymol as phytoadditives on growth, hematological , and non-specific immunological parameters in cultured Oreochromis niloticus. In this study, ninety (90) Oreochromis niloticus with an average body weight of (50 ± 5) were used. Fish were divided into three groups (30 fish/ group) in triplicate and fed for 8weeks with: group (1) was fed basal diet as a control group, while group (2) was fed basal diet supplemented with thyme at 10g/kg diet and and group (3) was fed basal diet supplemented with thymol at 3g/kg body weight. After 8 weeks of feeding group (2) and group (3) showed particular differences in the growth, immunological and hematological parameters between the experimental group and the control group. However, as compared to control group, a significant increase of phagocytic activity and lysozyme activity