Assessing Gill Health & Oxidative Stress in Aquaculture Treatments
Based out of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Dr. Subrata Chowdhury and the team at RPS Bioliogiques well-represent the Island spirit of applying classical wisdom to modern day problems. RPS Biologiques Inc. combines the best of ancient Eastern knowledge with cutting edge technology to produce natural and sustainable solutions for optimizing aquatic, animal, and human health. Supratect™, a plant-based product that promotes fish and egg health, is non-toxic even at high doses and therefore poses a potential alternative to one of the few chemical treatments permitted for farmed fish. Current products on the market for treating oomycetes and other ectoparasites are known gill stressors, and so RPS Biologiques contracted Onda to determine the impact of repeated Supratect™ treatments on Atlantic salmon gill health versus a commonly used industry benchmark.
The Challenge
The shortlist of treatments approved for use in farmed fish to resolve ectoparasitic disease (e.g. Saprolegnia spp.) is limited. The most used option for producers is a known gill stressor and requires repeated exposures. RPS Biologiques saw an opportunity to provide an alternative that was non-toxic and naturally derived, reducing environmental risk and improving the sustainability of farming practices and thus, sought to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of Supratect™. The goal was to determine whether Supratect™ would produce any adverse effects such as oxidative stress, metabolic imbalance, or immune impairment when applied in a standard aquaculture setting.
The Solution
Onda Contract Research, with its advanced animal trial facilities and molecular laboratories, was the ideal partner to conduct this study. As fellow PEI organizations, Onda and RPS Biologiques share a commitment to quality, sustainability, and scientific integrity. Onda leveraged its custom approach to provide a comprehensive overview of product safety.
Preliminary Consultation:
Upon engaging with RPS Biologiques, Onda’s team quickly provided expert recommendations on industry-standard treatment protocols and designed a study to test the safety of Supratect™. Onda also advised on specific genes linked to gill issues in aquaculture that would be most relevant to assessing the product’s impact.Research Design & Execution:
Onda directly compared Supratect™ against industry benchmark, ensuring a fair and rigorous evaluation of its effects on gill function, oxidative stress, and immune response.Results:
The study confirmed that Supratect™ did not alter survival or behaviour of salmon, and that no histological changes were observed in any of the treated gills. Although Supratect™ did not change the expression of genes involved in oxidative stress, protein unfolding, pH balance, or immunity, suggesting Supratect™to be a safe and effective choice for aquaculture environments. Furthermore, it was observed that the commonly used alternative treatments generated a more significant and prolonged stress response in comparison.
The Impact
This research offered RPS Biologiques valuable insights into the safety profile of Supratect™ relative to other treatments, enabling them to make well-informed decisions and recommendations to their clients. Onda’s prompt, data-driven guidance and expertise in genetic stress markers were instrumental in positioning RPS Biologiques to enhance aquaculture health sustainably.