Water flea Moina macrocopa as a novel biocarrier of norfloxacin in aquaculture

摘要

The potential of using water flea Moina macrocopa as a novel live drug carrier to freshwater aquatic animals has been evaluated. The incorporation of antibacterial, norfloxacin into Moina and subsequently into fish was quantified. The efficiency of drug incorporation into water flea depends on both drug concentration in enrichment medium and incubation time. The maximum drug level in Moina following bioencapsulation technique was reached at 4 h of exposure at drug concentrations of 10-20% (w/w) (0.70-0.90 mg/g dry weight of water flea). Significant higher drug uptake was obtained (1.902+/-0.228 mg/g dry weight of water flea) in 2 h at the drug concentration of 40%. A marked decrease of norfloxacin percentage level upon storage of the Moina in water was observed and the survival of the Moina up to 2 h was satisfactory. It was suggested that medicated water flea should be either administered freshly enriched to fish or after short duration of storage. Following oral administration of medicated water flea to fish, the level of drug in fish body tissue increased as the number of doses increased, and the drug level was highest after a three-dose feeding. This primary food source appears to be a promising drug delivery system to aquatic animals. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. [References: 20]