The Global Journal of Fisheries and Aqua. Res. - Vol. No. 5, (2012) - ISSN 18191 COMARSION OF PUNICA PEEL AND OXYTETRACYCLINE ON AEROMONAS HYDROPHILA CHALLENGED CLARIAS GARIEPINUS Rasha M. Reda * 1 , Azza A. A. Galal 2 and Rasha T. M. Alam 3 1 Department of Fish Diseases &Management, 2 Pharmacology and 3 Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Egypt ABSTRACT Peels of Punica granatum L. include wide variety of phytochemical compounds which might be responsible for promising antimicrobial activities. This study investigates the in vitro and in vivo antimicrobial activity of punica peel hydroalcholic extract (PPE), powder and oxytetracycline in Clarias gariepinus (C. gariepinus) challenged with Aeromonas hydrophila (A. hydrophila). Fish were divided into five groups; G1 “negative control” was injected with 1 ml of Trybtic soya broth (TSB). G2, G3, G4 and G5 were injected intraperitoneally (I/P) with 1 ml (1.5 × 10 8 CFU) A. hydrophila till appearance of clinical signs. After 4 days the medicated diets were introduced. The results showed the highest inhibition zone obtained for PPE at 500 μg (9.1 mm). The haemorrhagic and ulcerative lesion decreased and completely disappeared in PPE supplemented group with no mortality through 14 days of treatment compared to positive control. G3"PPE supplemented diet” and G5 "oxytetracycline supplemented diet" had significantly higher RBCs, Hb, serum lysozyme and phagocytic activity beside slightly histopathological alterations after period of treatment when compared with (G2). Therefore, we suggest that PPE supplemented diet following challenge with A. hydrophila restores the altered hematological parameters and improve the immune system in C. gariepinus and can be nearly considered to be as equally potent as the oxytetracycline antibiotic. Keyword: Punica peel extract, Aeromonas hydrophila, Clarias gariepinus, hematological parameters. Proc. Of The 5 th Global Fisheries & Aqua. Research Conf., Egypt, (2012) pp. 01 - 15