Effect of dietary Tribulus Terrestris extract on expression of lysozyme, IL1 and TNF genes in Danio rerio

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Tribulus terrestris extract on the expression of lysozyme gene, IL1 and TNF in Zebra fish. For this purpose, fish were fed in four treatment group’s including; T0 (control (0)), T1 (50), T2 (100) and T3 (200 mg of extract per kg of food) for 60 days. In order to measurement of the gene expression, sampling was performed at the end of the experiment. The results showed that the use of Tribulus terrestris extract had a positive effect on genes expression and The expression of lysozyme, IL1 and TNF genes at the end of the trial period was significantly higher in T1 treatment than to T2 and T3 treatments (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference between the control group in compared with T1 treatment group. Finally, the results suggested that 50 mg of Tribulus terrestris extract per kg food to obtain the highest expression of lysozyme, IL1 and TNF genes in Zebra fish as a model species in aquaculture was suitable.