Applicability, Feasibility and Efficacy of Phytotherapy in Aquatic Animal Health Management

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 im p ortant contributions in this field by different workers during the last quarter of the 20 th century and early 21 st 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.