the potential of medicinal plants to fight parasite challenges in aquaculture

Chemical drugs used in treatments can adversely affect not only diseased tissues or disease agents but also healthy organs (1). chemical drugs used especially during mass control of parasites can harm not only the parasites but also other living things in the environment. medicinal and aromatic plants offer an effective and sustainable alternative for the prevention and treatment of diseases without harming the environment thanks to their antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiparasitic properties (2). with the increase in production volume in aquaculture, the use of chemical drugs, antiparasitic agents, feed additives and antibiotics to increase productivity has also been increased. however, using these chemicals prevents sustainability and causes negative environmental impacts. in particular, chemical treatments used to combat parasites, damage the environment and cause serious problems such as stress, tissue erosion, bacterial infections and osmotic imbalance in fish (3). in addition, pesticide residues pose a serious threat to food safety. in this context, medicinal and aromatic plants offer effective methods to combat parasites and prevent diseases with less damage to the environment. their antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiparasitic properties have the potential to reduce dependence on chemical interventions in aquaculture applications. this review aims to examine the efficacy of medicinal plants against parasites, their historical significance, mechanisms of action and challenges to their use in aquaculture.