Levamisole incorporation in fish feed - Ensuring the medication dose and avoidance of leaching into the water

Autor(es)

de Freitas, Lucas Victor Pereira ; Alponti, Ana Luisa Bigliassi ; Damaceno, Marina Alves ; Campanharo, Sarah Chagas ; da Silva, Agnaldo Fernando Baldo ; Sasanya, James Jacob ; Rath, Susanne ; Paschoal, Jonas Augusto Rizzato

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Food Additives and Contaminants Part A-Chemistry Analysis Control Exposure; v. 40, n. 12, p. 17-pg., 2023-11-20.

Resumo

Levamisole, an anthelmintic and immunostimulant drug, has been studied as a promising alternative for aquaculture use. While oral administration through feeding is the main route of administration in fish farming, no studies evaluating methods of levamisole incorporation into the feed have been reported so far. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate potential procedures for levamisole incorporation in extruded fish feed using ethyl cellulose, gelatin, or vegetable oil, to avoid drug leaching to the water during the animal's medication. A suitable LC-MS/MS method was optimized (full factorial design), validated, and applied to evaluate the efficiency of the process, the homogeneity of the drug concentration, and the leaching rate. The method has been demonstrated to be selective, precise (RSD < 4.9%), accurate (recovery > 98.4%), and linear (r > 0.99, 125-750 mg kg(-1)). The incorporation procedures using the three coating agents showed high incorporation efficiency (70%) and a homogeneous drug concentration among the extruded feed pellets. A low levamisole leaching rate was verified in the feed prepared using the ethyl cellulose coating procedure (4.3% after 15 min of immersion in the water). On the other hand, fish feed coated with gelatin and oil resulted in a high leaching rate (30-35% after 15 min). Thus, this study shows that coating ethyl cellulose may be a promising procedure for levamisole incorporation in fish feed and with the potential to enhance its use in animal production while reducing environmental contamination. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 21/03294-1 - Estudos para o uso de levamisol na Aquicultura: métodos analíticos; incorporação na ração; depleção residual; e estimativa de período de carência
• Beneficiário: Lucas Victor Pereira de Freitas
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Doutorado
• Processo FAPESP: 21/11996-6 - Avaliação de procedimentos de incorporação do levamisol na ração de peixes
• Beneficiário: Ana Luísa Bigliassi Alponti
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Iniciação Científica
• Processo FAPESP: 21/08152-0 - Desafio do uso de medicamentos na piscicultura no contexto One Health: avaliação da eficácia, segurança e análise de risco
• Beneficiário: Susanne Rath
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Temático