Document type: scientific review published in Aquaculture international
Authors: Joey Joe Yee Ng, Nor Asma Husna Yusoff, Nurul Ashikin Elias, Nor Azri-Shah Norhan, Noor Aniza Harun, Farizan Abdullah, Ahmad Najmi Ishak, Marina Hassan
Preview: Intensification of aquaculture practices brings about disease outbreaks, resulting in high mortality among farmed species and great economic losses. In order to prevent huge economic losses, various types of antibiotics have been used for the treatment of infections. Nevertheless, frequent use of synthetic antibiotics leads to an increase in antibiotics-resistant pathogenic bacteria and aggravating water pollution. Thereby, herbal medicine appeared to be an alternative for chemotherapy replacement due to its characteristics of being eco-friendly, having a high tolerance in animals, and being less toxic to the environment. Current research on the use of phytogenic compounds to combat some pathogens that cause diseases in aquaculture raises great worldwide interest due to their capability to act as immunostimulants, antibacterials, antioxidants, anti-parasites, and anti-viruses. This review paper aimed to review the past 5 years (2019-2023) on the usage of herbal medicine in disease mitigation, their mechanisms of action, and the effectiveness of various dosages and routes of administration during application in several aquatic species. The potential toxicological effects observed during the application of medicinal plants were also discussed.
