Phytochemical and Proximate Analysis of Sweet Potato (Ipomea batatas) Leaves Aqueous Extract and Its Prophylatic Effects on Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infected Catfish (Clarias gariepinus)

The phytochemical and proximate analysis of sweet potato (Ipomea batatas) leaves were carried out to ascertain its bio-active compounds and proximate composition, and their importance in aquaculture. Subsequently, four different feeds were produced from a thirty-five (35) percent crude protein feed using I. batatas aqueous leaves extracts as follows: Do (Oml/kg); D1 (50ml/kg); D2 (100ml/kg) and D3 (150ml/kg). One hundred and fifty (150) sub-adult Clarias gariepinus were distributed to five groups in triplicate and designated as: D+ve (positive control); D-ve (negative control); D1; D2 and D3. While D+ve and D-ve were fed Do, D1 – D3 were fed 50ml/kg – 150ml/kg respectively. After eight weeks of feeding ten (10) fish from D-ve, D1 – D3 were infected intraperitoneal, with 1.5ml of 15 x 1010cfu/ml over night grown Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the fish in D+ve was not infected. After one week post infection period, the prophylactic effects of the I. batatas leaves extract were evaluated on the experimental fish following assessments on survival rate, disease resistance, condition factor and physicochemical parameters of the experimental waters. The results indicates as follows: proximate composition of I. batatas leaves contains fat, crude protein, crude fibre, ash and carbohydrate at different percentages, but they were higher in content in the dried leaves, but reverse was the case for moisture content. Phytochemical content of I. batatas leaves contains high percentage of alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids and Saponins with noticeable quantities of tannins, anthraquinones and coumarins; the survival rate and disease resistance indicates that D-ve recorded 46.66+11.54% and 0+0.00% respectively, while D+ve and D1 – D3 had 100+0.00% in both parameters; there were no significant difference in the dissolve oxygen, temperature and pH D+ve, D-ve and D1 – D3 but the value in D-v were lower compared to the rest. The values for conductivity and total dissolve solids (TDS) were significantly higher in D1-D3 compared to D+ve and D-ve, but the value of TDS was significantly lower in D+ve.