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Phytotherapy as an alternative to use of chemicals in aquaculture production and aquatic feeds By Gianluigi Negroni use of antibiotics, especially those with a wide spectrum, goes hand in hand with resistance to the same pathogens. Dangerous pathologies are a serious risk to aquaculture producers, and the resistance of bacterial agents to antibiotics is one of the major problems facing the industry. In the case of pathological events, there are currently no other solutions to antibiotics and other chemotherapeutic substances, especially for intensive and hyper-intensive breeding. Chemotherapeutic agents, although designed to combat diseases of fish and other aquatic animals, also leave harmful contaminants in fish and unwanted residues in the water and on treated surfaces. These chemical agents address the problems of fish diseases and disinfection, but also do more harm than good to aquaculture facilities as well as to the environment as a whole. It is then more beneficial to invest in “greener� solutions that can both be good for fish products and the environment. In this article, phyto (from plants and algae) therapies and their most common
products will be discussed as better alternatives for aquaculture treatments and processing.
Inappropriate use of antibiotics in the aquaculture supply chain Unfortunately, there is often a redundant use of antibiotics, disinfectants and synthetic chemotherapeutic substances in both human and veterinary medicine and plant defense. The massive and periodical
Natural therapies The use of herbs, algae and plants could replace the present chemotherapeutic agents as agents against pathogens, promoters of growth and use in increasing feed productivity as in biosafety. The above needs appropriate studies to better define the characteristics and effects in farms; until now little has been done. Naturopathy (also called phytogenic therapy, herbal medicine or phytotherapy) is the use of natural plants