Evaluation of bitter melon (Momordica charantia) seeds powder as a potential infertility inducer in Male Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

Abstract

Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is a pond breeder that shows prolific breeding which results in excessive recruitment of fingerlings in grow-out systems, thus leading to overcrowding and resource competition, and ultimately stunted and small-sized fish that are unable to command high market prices. Current research was conducted to investigate the effect of bitter melon (Momordica charantia) seed powder on (O. niloticus) fertility, which has previously been shown to suppress reproductive capability in mice and rats. O. niloticus fingerlings (10.2±2g) were distributed equally into six groups in replica of three. Fish were stocked in outdoor fibreglass tanks having 450 Liters of water with stocking density of 1g/l. Six experimental diets having 35% crude proteins with various doses of M. charantia seeds powder (0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10g/kg diets) (for C, S2, S4, S6, S8, and S10, respectively) were prepared and fed the Tilapia fingerlings at the rate of 5% of their body weight for 90 days. The results showed that supplementing M. charantia seed powder had a significant (p<0.05) effect on reproductive performance of O. niloticus. Experiment results indicated that gonadosomatic index, serum testosterone was decreased significantly (p<0.05) in treated groups. The order of significant decrease is as (C > S2 > S4 > S6 > S8 > S10). Reactive oxygen species (ROS) in blood was decreased while there was a slight increase in antioxidant enzymes (SOD, POD, CAT) of testicular tissues. Histological examination of the testicular tissue revealed that in the control group, sperms were observed to have been released into the lumen of the seminiferous tubules. In contrast, the S10 group displayed the lowest number of sperm within the tubular lumens. Histological observations, GSI and serum testosterone concentration reveals that M. charantia seed is an efficient reproductive inhibitor in O. niloticus thus could be employed to manage overpopulation in Nile tilapia.