Effect of Purple Sweet Potato Leaf Extract Supplementation on the Histopathology of Gills, Liver, and Kidneys in Neolissochilus soroides Exposed to Ammonia as a Stressor

This study investigated the potential effect of purple sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) leaf extract as an antioxidant on the histopathological changes in the gills, liver, and kidneys of Neolissochilus soroides exposed to NH₄Cl. Over a 40-day supplementation period, four doses of the extract (0, 2.5, 5, and 7.5%) were administered with five replicates per dose. Following the supplementation, the fish were exposed to a 48-hour stressor of NH₄Cl at 10ppm. Histopathological observations were conducted at three time points: before rearing, after 40 days of supplementation, and after 48 hours of NH₄Cl exposure. The results revealed that purple sweet potato leaf extract supplementation significantly (P< 0.05) increased the number of normal cells in the liver and kidneys compared to the control group. The 5 and 7.5% doses showed no significant difference from each other but were significantly more effective than the 2.5% dose and the control. Furthermore, both the 5 and 7.5% doses significantly reduced cellular damage, such as necrosis, in the target organs induced by NH₄Cl exposure compared to the control. These findings suggest that higher doses of Ipomoea batatas leaf extract increase normal cell in the liver and kidneys while mitigating cellular damage caused by NH₄Cl stress. In conclusion, supplementation with purple sweet potato leaf extract provides a protective effect against organ damage in N. soroides under NH₄Cl-induced stress, with higher doses showing the most significant beneficial outcomes in terms of cell preservation and damage reduction.