Effects of thermal stress and vitamin C on lipid peroxidation and fatty acid composition in the liver of thornfish Terapon jarbua

The effects of thermal stress and vitamin C were examined on the lipid peroxidation and fatty acid composition in the liver of thornfish. Small thornfish were cultured at 28, 32 and 36 degreesC and then fed diets with 0, 80, 400 and 2000 ppm vitamin C-supplement. respectively, for 8 weeks. Fish fed a diet without vitamin C supplement and cultured at 36 degreesC showed the highest values of hepatosomatic index and malondialdehyde, followed by fish fed a diet without vitamin C supplement and cultured at 32 degreesC. Lipid peroxidation in the liver of fish was elevated by high water temperature and prevented by vitamin C. The % of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) in the liver lipid was higher when fish were cultured at the lower water temperature. Vitamin C significantly reduced the % of PUFA and increased the % of saturated fatty acid (SFA) in the liver lipid. The % of SFA in the liver lipid was not affected by water temperature. We conclude that temperature and vitamin C significantly affected the lipid characters of liver in thornfish. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.