Plant-Derived Compounds as an Alternative Treatment Against Parasites in Fish Farming: A Review

Abstract

Aquaculture has grown rapidly for food production around the world. However, outbreaks of infectious diseases have also increased in aquaculture, causing serious economic losses. For many years, fish farmers have applied conventional treatments such as anti-parasitics and chemical treatments to control fish parasites. However, previous studies have revealed an accumulation of these chemical residues in fish tissues, and a negative environmental impact from farms to aquatic organisms. As an alternative to conventional methods, many plant-derived compounds such as essential oils (e.g. Origanum sp. and Lippia spp.) and plant extracts (e.g. Allium sativum and Mentha spp.) have been used as an efficient treatment to control parasites in freshwater, brackishwater and marine aquaculture systems. Our objective with this review is to highlight the advantages of the use of plant extracts as an alternative treatment against parasites in aquaculture (e.g. protozoans, myxozoans and monogeneans) and to show the possible negative environmental impacts of conventional treatments used in fish farming systems. Finally, we also highlight the potential of discovering new plant-derived bioactive compounds that have been increased in the last year due to the use of new tools such as the application of nanotechnology and microencapsulation to control diseases in fish farming.

Urtica dioica (Stinging Nettle): A Neglected Plant With Emerging Growth Promoter/Immunostimulant Properties for Farmed Fish

“…Among the food production sectors, aquaculture is the fastest growing in the world, and is expected to be the biggest source of food by the year 2030 (Brugère and Ridler, 2004 ; Carella and Sirri, 2017 ). Such an increase in fish farming, results in a parallel increase in outbreaks of infectious and metabolic diseases, which act as major limiting factors for aquaculture development (Wunderlich et al, 2017 ). In order to control mortality and avoid huge economic losses, fish farmers frequently adopt inappropriate practices, which disregard care for the environmental, animal and human health.…”

Anti-parasitic activity of garlic (Allium sativum) and onion (Allium cepa) juice against crustacean parasite, Lernantropus kroyeri, found on European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

“…In approaching to solve the disease problems in aquaculture one of the reasonable solutions is the using of plant extracts, including those from garlic and onion, as natural treatments or prophylaxis. The studies on the effects of plant-derived substances on fish parasites have been widely reviewed in the literature (Pic on-Camacho et al 2012;Erguig et al 2015;Wunderlich et al 2017;Tavares-Dias 2018). Anti-parasitic activities of garlic and onion specifying the anti-protozoan, anti-myxozoan and anthelmintic activities were studied in different parasites and fish (Martins et al 2002;Buchmann et al 2003;Pic on-Camacho et al 2012;Fridman et al 2014;Wunderlich et al 2017;Hyun Kim et al 2019).…”

Antiparasitic potential of Nephrolepis biserrata methanol extract against the parasitic leech Zeylanicobdella arugamensis (Hirudinea) and LC-QTOF analysis

“…The natural products such as medicinal plants are possessing anti-inflammatory and antipathogenic properties with minimal toxicity level to fish. To minimize the consumption of toxic chemicals plant derived extracts can be used as a natural control agent against parasitic infestation due to the presence of antiparasitic phytochemical compounds such as alkaloids, glycosides, terpenoids etc [15][16][17] . Hence, research on the development of safe and natural agent for controlling the infestation rate of this species is critical.…”