TITLE:
Applicability, Feasibility and Efficacy of Phytotherapy in Aquatic Animal Health Management
AUTHORS:
Ram Prakash Raman
KEYWORDS:
Phytotherapy, Finfish and Shellfish, Microbial and Parasitic Diseases in Aquaculture, Immunostimulants, Biopesticides
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.8 No.2,
January
22,
2017
ABSTRACT: The use of chemotherapeutants, antibiotics, and
pesticides in aqua farms and non-adherence to scientific management practices
have resulted in adverse impact on aquacultural production, serious outbreaks
of diseases, development of drug resistance in microbes, and accumulation of
antibiotics and pesticide residues in finfish and shellfish and environmental
pollution. As a result, a need has been felt by the aquaculturists as well as
aquatic animal health management professionals to find a suitable alternative
therapy in place of antibiotics and chemotherapy. Phytotherapy has come to be
recognized as a handy and viable alternative to chemotherapy, as it is
economical, effective, non-resistance forming, renewable, eco-friendly and farmer-friendly. Although the use
of medicinal plants is known to humanity since the dawn of human civilization
for the treatment and control of human and animal diseases but its importance
in combating finfish and shellfish diseases has been realized only recently.
The phytotherapy of aquacultural diseases is in its infancy in most part of the
world except in China to some extent. However, many important contributions in this field by different
workers during the last quarter of the 20th century and early 21st century have shown encouraging results and opened new vistas in phytotherapy of
aquatic animals. The present review crtically evaluates the present status of
knowledge of phytotherapy in the world combating various aquacultural diseases,
identifying the bottlenecks and suggests remedial measures.