Abstract

PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING OF ANNONA SQUAMOSA AND HAEMATOLOGICAL STUDIES IN CLARIAS BATRACHUS

Runa Paul*, Asha Khanna, Rita Bhandari, Surbhi Yadav, Dayashankar Gautam

ABSTRACT

In the present research work, the dried leaf (aqueous extract) of Annona squamosa which is a member of the family of Custard apple trees called Annonaceae and a species of the genus Annona was screened for its immunomodulatory effect and phytochemical constituents. The fishes Clarias batrachus were primarily divided into three experimental groups in three separated chambers. Each chamber contained five fishes in 15 litres of water. The Group-A was kept as control group which were fed with control diet (pelleted commercial food and worms) throughout the experimental period of 10 days. Group B and C containing experimental fishes fed on control diet and were kept in aquarium water containing 300 and 900 ml /15 l aqueous leaf extract of Annona squamosa. The results obtained in the present study indicate that Annona squamosa Linn. is a potent immunostimulant, stimulating nonspecific immune mechanisms. Aqueous leaf extract of Annona squamosa on fish Clarias batrachus in haemological profiles exhibited significant increase in haemoglobin percentage and differential count.

Keywords: Immunostimulant, Annona squamosa, nonspecific immune mechanisms.