Phytobiotics from the Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, and Fabaceae families: Mechanisms, efficacy, and emerging nanotechnological applications in sustainable aquaculture.

Abstract

Global aquaculture is rapidly developing as a production system for aquatic animal-derived foods. Sustainable production in the marine industry is not only hindered by disease challenges but also limited by the use of synthetic drugs against these disease outbreaks because of their tissue accumulation, which leads to resistant pathogens. As an alternative, medicinal herbs are mentioned in aquaculture as eco-friendly and safe products for preventing pathogens, enhancing growth, and improving the immune system. Moreover, medicinal herbs protect aquatic animals from stressful stimuli, including overcrowding, high temperatures, and poor water quality. Given the increased need of the aquaculture industry for phytoconstituents and their potential sources, this review mainly focuses on providing information on the nutritional, biochemical, and physiological impacts and the action mechanisms of herbal medicines from the Lamiaceae, Fabaceae, and Asteraceae families on aquatic species. Recent studies indicate that nano-enabled delivery systems can substantially improve the performance of herbal compounds, and this review therefore highlights the growing potential of integrating nanotechnology with phytobiotics to enhance their stability, bioavailability, and functional outcomes in aquaculture. Emerging nanotechnological delivery systems, including encapsulation in polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes, and metal-based nanoparticles synthesized using plant extracts, offer significant advantages for improving the stability, bioavailability, and targeted delivery of phytobiotic compounds. Nanoencapsulation of essential oils and bioactive phytochemicals (e.g., thymol, curcumin, rosmarinic acid) has shown particular promise in enhancing their solubility, protecting them from degradation in the gastrointestinal tract, and enabling controlled release, thereby maximizing their immunostimulatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial effects in aquatic species. Essential information is presented about phytobiotics from these plant families and their mode of action, mode of administration and dosage, and other vital issues for phytobiotic research in aquaculture. Importantly, the review suggests that the practical use of these green drugs requires further investigation to uncover the biological functions of active compounds responsible for growth, immune, and pathogen resistance across diverse species of aquatic animals. With analysing 162 peer-reviewed studies, this review provides, for the first time, a comprehensive comparative analysis of phytobiotics from the Lamiaceae, Fabaceae, and Asteraceae families, integrating their mechanisms of action, dose-dependent effects, nanotechnology-based delivery systems and emerging nanotechnological applications, while identifying critical research gaps and future directions for sustainable aquaculture. The knowledge derived from the current discussion provides an exciting opportunity for the practical use of natural drugs in aquaculture.

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