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Medicinal plant derivatives as immunostimulants: an alternative to chemotherapeutics and antibiotics in aquaculture

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Abstract

Aquaculture makes a significant contribution in the production of protein-rich food for human consumption. Aquaculture practices encounter many challenges, and one of the most devastating problems is disease outbreaks caused by microbial pathogens. To control disease outbreaks, several chemotherapeutics and antibiotics were used indiscriminately, which in turn leads to residual problems in the surrounding environment affecting higher animals and also humans. Immunostimulants are considered as an alternative for antibiotics, which will boost the immune system of the cultured organism, thus effectively countering the assault of pathogens. The use of plant materials as immunostimulant will be an ecofriendly approach for the control of pathogens. The botanicals present in the plants have a key role in enhancing the fish immunity. This review focuses on the importance of plant material as immunostimulant in the control of diseases in aquaculture.

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Acknowledgments

The author wishes to thank the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. RT gratefully acknowledges the INSPIRE grant (DST, New Delhi) for the financial assistance rendered (Ref no Dy.No.100 / IFD / 5665).

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  1. Crustacean Molecular Biology and Genomics Lab, Department of Animal Health and Management, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, 630004, Tamil Nadu, India

    Baskaralingam Vaseeharan & Rajagopalan Thaya

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  1. Baskaralingam Vaseeharan
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  2. Rajagopalan Thaya
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Correspondence to Baskaralingam Vaseeharan.

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Vaseeharan, B., Thaya, R. Medicinal plant derivatives as immunostimulants: an alternative to chemotherapeutics and antibiotics in aquaculture. Aquacult Int 22, 1079–1091 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10499-013-9729-3

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