%0 Journal Article
%@ 2616-0684 (Print) ISSN 2616-0692 (Electronic
%A Isibor, Patrick Omoregie
%A Toyinbo, Jesutofunwa
%A Adeniran-Obey, Saidat O
%D 2021
%F eprints:16941
%J Tropical Journal of Natural Product Research
%K Archachatina marginata, Citrullus lanatus, Markers, Oxidative stress, Biochemical, Morphometrics
%N 2
%P 347-352
%T Potentials of Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus: (Thunb.) Matsum, & Nakai) Extract as an Appetite Stimulant and Antioxidant in the Giant African Land Snail (Archachatina marginata: Swainson, 1821)
%U http://eprints.covenantuniversity.edu.ng/16941/
%V 5
%X The growth and development of Archachatina marginata are relatively slow but expected to improve given the most preferred feed materials, and appetite stimulants are provided at optimal periods. This study aims to assess Citrullus lanatus extract's potential as an appetite stimulant and an antioxidant in A. marginata. Growth parameters such as specific growth rate (SGR) were used as indices for measuring A. marginata growth. Morphometric parameters were taken, and biochemical markers such as total superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, Catalase (CAT), was determined. A total of 30 juvenile A. marginata (124.18 ± 35 g) was procured for the study, carried out over four weeks, with a week of prior acclimatization. Five (5) experimental treatments, comprising six (6) A. marginata each, were gavaged with diets containing various concentrations of C. lanatus extracts. Results indicated that C. lanatus extract improved growth in snails with a significant regression of SGR (F (2,12) = 0.06, p = 0.03, R2 = 0.3495), and SCI (F(2,12) = 0.007, p = 0.048, R2 = 0.4984) recorded on extract concentration. Biochemical markers activity showed downward trends relative to increasing C. lanatus extract concentration. This indicates that C. lanatus extract reduced antioxidant activity and consequently oxidative stress in A. marginata and that it is possibly capable of augmenting feeding and subsequent growth in A. marginata. Hence, the incorporation of C. lanatus extract of concentrations ≥ 0.338 ml/g into snail feed to improve snail growth and productivity is therefore recommended.