RESUMO
A 56-day trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary lutein pigment on growth, biochemical, and immuno-physiological parameters of the oriental river prawn. Prawns were fed five formulated diets containing different lutein levels, 0 (control), 50, 100, 150, and 200 mg/kg. Growth performance, except hepatosomatic index, was affected by different lutein levels, and biochemical parameters (urea, uric acid, glucose, creatinine, and triglycerides) decreased. However, high-density and low-density lipoprotein elevated significantly compared to the control treatment. Furthermore, calcium, phosphorus, and cholesterol did not show a significant difference. Hemato-immunological parameters (albumin, total protein, cortisol, lysozyme, phenoloxidase, total hemocyte count, granular cells, semi-granular cells, hyaline cells, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and lactate dehydrogenase), and hepatopancreatic antioxidant statuses (total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and malondialdehyde), were significantly affected; however, alkaline phosphatase and glutathione peroxidase were not affected by lutein treatments. By increasing dietary lutein levels, digestive enzyme activities, total bacteria count, total carotenoid content, significantly increased. Conversely, lactic acid bacteria were not affected. Overall, the research results demonstrated that adding 200 mg/kg of lutein to the diet improved growth performance, biochemical and immuno-physiological parameters of the oriental river prawn.