EFFECTS OF GINSENG STEM AND LEAF EXTRACTS ON THE GROWTH, IMMUNITY AND THE RESISTANCE TO DISEASES IN SEA CUCUMBERS(APOSTICHOPUS JAPONICAS)

To investigate the actual effects of ginseng stem and leaf extracts in the farming of sea cucumbers(Apostichopus japonicas), we conducted experiments to study the growth, immunity and the resistance to diseases in sea cucumbers treated with ginseng extracts. The sea cucumbers had an initial body weight of(4.910.17) g, and were fed with ginseng stem-leaf extracts at the levels of 10, 20, 40 and 80 g per kg for 30 days. Basal diet without ginseng abstract served as the control treatment. The specific growth rates(SGR) of sea cucumbers showed no changes in re-sponse to the increase in ginseng stem-leaf extracts. Compared to the control, sea cucumbers fed with 80 g/kg ginseng stem-leaf extracts showed significantly higher levels in total coelomocytes count(TCC), respiratory burst(RB) activity, phagocytosis, superoxide dismutase(SOD), and total nitric oxide synthase(T-NOS)(P0.05). Enhancement in phago-cytosis was also observed in sea cucumbers fed with 40 g/kg ginseng stem-leaf extracts(P0.05). However, there were no significant differences in other immune parameters between the 10 g/kg group, the 20 g/kg group, and the control group(P0.05). Results of the challenge trial suggested that sea cucumbers fed with 20 g/kg, 40 g/kg and 80 g/kg ginseng stem-leaf extracts were healthier than the control. The health rate of sea cucumbers fed with 80 g/kg ginseng stem-leaf extracts was 80.56%, which was significantly higher than the control and the 10 g/kg group(P0.05). There-fore, we concluded that the treatment with ginseng stem-leaf extracts might improve the immunity and the resistance to diseases in sea cucumbers and thus could be used as an immunity enhancer in the farming of the sea cucumbers.