Extrato hidroalcolico de pitaya (Hylocereus guatemalensis) seus efeitos na coloração e na atividades antioxidantes de bettas machos azuis (Betta splendens)

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the composition of pitaya bark hydroalcoholic extract (Hylocereus guatemalensis) and the effects of its inclusion in diets of blue male betas (Betta splendens), about digestive enzyme content, liver metabolism, and antioxidant activity. Twenty juveniles of blue male Bettas splendens (1.51± 0.66 g and 58.20±4.03 mm) from the same litter were used, subdivided into four groups, with five specimens per treatment. The commercial diets (40.88% CP and 4374.8 Kcal kg-1) were added to pitaya bark alcohol extract at concentrations (contro-le; 0.24; 0.45 and 0.90 mg.kg-1 EHAP). The fish were fed for 21 days at the apparent satiety. The inclusion of 0.24 and 0.45 mg.kg-1 EHAP promoted the best results of zootechnical performance. There was no change in fish color. Digestive activity increased alkaline phosphatase activity only when 0,45 mg.kg-1 EHAP. The other digestive enzymes showed no significant difference. In the liver enzymes tested there was no significant difference between AST and albumin. The inclusion of 0.45 and 0.90 mg.kg-1 EHAP promoted a decrease in hepatic ALT activity. There was an increase in cat activity in the skin of fish fed diets of EHAP. The results obtained indicate that the addition of EPAH in the diet of blue males betas assists in digestive function and has a hepatoprotective effect that can be attributed to the antioxidant action of the compounds present in the pitaya bark.