American Journal of Life Sciences 2016; 4(3): 87-92 http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/ajls doi: 10.11648/j.ajls.20160403.14 ISSN: 2328-5702 (Print); ISSN: 2328-5737 (Online) Effect of Nigella sativa (Black Cumin Seed) to Enhance the Immunity of Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) Against Pseudomonas fluorescens Shoumo Khondoker 1 , Md. Mer Mosharraf Hossain 1 , Md. Hasan-Uj-Jaman 1, * , Md. Eftakher Alam 1 , Md. Farid Uz Zaman 2 , Nazia Tabassum 1 1 Department of Fisheries & Marine Bioscience, Jessore University of Science & Technology, Jessore, Bangladesh 2 Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Fisheries, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh Email address: shoumo100429@gmail.com (S. Khondoker), mmiron_bau@yahoo.com (Md. M. M. Hossain), hasan100401@gmail.com (Md. Hasan-Uj-Jaman), eshovon.aqua08@gmail.com (Md. E. Alam), farid100422@gmail.com (Md. F. U. Zaman), naziakeka@gmail.com (N. Tabassum) * Corresponding author To cite this article: Shoumo Khondoker, Md. Mer Mosharraf Hossain, Md. Hasan-Uj-Jaman, Md. Eftakher Alam, Md. Farid Uz Zaman, Nazia Tabassum. Effect of Nigella sativa (Black Cumin Seed) to Enhance the Immunity of Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio) Against Pseudomonas fluorescens. American Journal of Life Sciences. Vol. 4, No. 3, 2016, pp. 87-92. doi: 10.11648/j.ajls.20160403.14 Received: May 12, 2016; Accepted: May 23, 2016; Published: June 17, 2016 Abstract: The effect of Nigella sativa (black cumin) seed extracts supplemented diets at 2%, 4% and 6% doses with common diet as control (0%) fed to common carp, Cyprinus carpio against Pseudomonas fluorescens was investigated critically on weeks 1, 2 and 4 as immunomodulator. Immunological factors including bactericidal activity and phagocytic action were examined along with the disease resistance. The outcomes of the research recommend 4% dose of N. sativa oil enriched diet as an effective immune response and disease resistance agent for C. carpio against P. fluorescens although further investigation will facilitate to optimize the precise quantity comparing with the weight of fish body. Keywords: Nigella sativa, Common Carp, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Immune Response 1. Introduction The common carp is one of the major aquaculture species in the globe Vandeputte [1]. Common carp occur within the temperature range of 3–35°C Froese and Pauly [2]. The optimum water temperature for growth and propagation is 20–25°C. Physically, common carp live in the middle and lower sections of rivers and in areas where the water is shallow and the bottom is mud-spattered FAO [3]. According to Chowdhury et al., [4] Aeromonas sp. and Pseudomonas sp. are very frequent in fish disease particularly in carp and live fishes in Bangladesh. Cultured fish species suffer from Aeromonas sp. and Pseudomonas sp. infections with signs like dermal lesion, scale loss, frayed fins, tail and fin rot and Dropsy Khatun et al., [5]. Several approaches have been made to control these diseases such as disinfection, sanitary prophylaxis and chemotherapy with particular emphasis on antibiotics. Conversely, use of chemicals and antibiotics is often costly and detrimental because it guides the antibiotic and chemical resistance in pathogen as well as reduces consumer preference Harikrishnan et al., [6]. One of the most proficient methods of controlling diseases in fish culture is tightening the defense mechanisms of fish through prophylactic administration immunostimulants from synthetic or natural sources Robertsen, [7]. In recent times, immunostimulants of herbal origin have been shown to have the capacity to boost disease resistance in fish against a number of diseases by improving non- specific and specific defense mechanisms Harikrishnan et al., [6]. Many herbs have been reported that develop the immunity of fishes, such as Achyranthes aspera Rao et al., [8], Nigella sativa and Quercetin Awad et al., [9], U. dioica Nya and Austin, [10]; Awad and Austin, [11], Viscum album, Urtica dioica and Zingiber officinale Dügenci et al.,