IMMUNOSTIMULANT EFFECT OF MEDICINAL PLANTS ON FISH

Abstract

Fishes not only play an important role in the demand of food for humans but they have also emerged as major model organisms for different biomedical researches. A number of experiments with the use of several drugs have been conducted in fish. Diseases in fish caused by bacteria are most widespread. Antibiotics are frequently used to control fish diseases caused by bacteria, but there is an increasing risk of developing antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria. The medicinal plants can act as immunostimulants, conferring early activation to the non-specific defense mechanisms of fish and elevating the specific immune response. The herbs contain many immunologically active components such as polysaccharides, organic acids, alkaloids, glycosides and volatile oils, which can enhance immune functions. Recently, there has been increased interest in the immune stimulating function of some herbs in aquaculture. The non- specific immune functions such as bacteriolytic activity and leukocyte function of fish have been improved by some herbs. Henceforth, this article elucidates certain herbs (medicinal plants) which have been shown experimentally as well as clinically to possess immunostimulant effects in fish, thereby treating different fish diseases.