Effect of sedatin (synthetic dermorphin analog) on the development of Acipenser schrenckii young fish.

We studied delayed effects of sedatin (arginine-containing mu/delta-opioid receptor agonist) and its arginine-free analog on the ontogenetic development of fish. Fertilized eggs of the Amur sturgeon (Acipenser schrenckii) were treated with the peptides. The results indicate that sedatin increased activities of the antiradical and antioxidant defense systems, stimulated fry development by increasing body weight and length, and increased the number of nucleoli in the myocardium and liver of young fish.