Medicinal Plants in Aquaculture: A Bibliometric and Narrative Review of Mechanisms and Applications

Abstract

The rapid expansion of aquaculture has increased the demand for sustainable strategies to improve animal performance and control infectious diseases while reducing reliance on conventional chemotherapeutics. Medicinal plants have attracted increasing interest because their bioactive compounds can influence host physiology and exert activities against a broad range of pathogens. These effects involve both direct pathogen inhibition and modulation of host defense, including immune responses, inflammation, apoptosis, and intestinal homeostasis. However, their application is constrained by incomplete mechanistic understanding, species- and dose-dependent efficacy, and inconsistent standardization of plant materials and formulations. This review summarizes recent advances in the use of medicinal plants in aquaculture, with emphasis on growth promotion and antiviral, antibacterial, antiparasitic, and antifungal activities. We examine the mechanisms underlying these effects, including nutritional regulation, microbiota, immune responses, and direct effects on pathogens. We also discuss major challenges in dose optimization, species-specific responses, mechanistic validation, and plant–microbiota interactions, and highlight the need for standardized evaluation and multi-omics approaches to support their safe and consistent application in sustainable aquaculture.