Dietary Curcumin Supplementation in Aquaculture

Curcumin, the principal polyphenolic compound derived from turmeric (Curcuma longa), has emerged as a multifunctional feed additive in aquaculture, offering antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, antimicrobial and immunomodulatory properties. Dietary inclusion of curcumin, in either free form or nanoparticulate formulations, has been shown to promote growth performance, enhance feed efficiency, improve intestinal integrity and bolster resistance to biotic and abiotic stressors. Mechanistic studies indicate that curcumin activates cellular antioxidant pathways, including the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 signalling axis, modulates pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine expression and influences gut microbiota composition. The adoption of nano-curcumin further amplifies these benefits by improving water dispersibility, stability and tissue bioavailability. This strategy holds global significance by reducing reliance on antibiotics, mitigating disease outbreaks and advancing sustainable aquafeed development across diverse cultured species.

Research from Nature Portfolio

A comparative study has demonstrated that nano-curcumin outperforms its free counterpart in Nile tilapia, significantly enhancing growth metrics, specific growth rate and feed conversion efficiency. Fish receiving diets containing around 100 mg nano-curcumin per kg feed exhibited superior innate immune responses, with elevated immunoglobulin M, complement factors and reduced cortisol levels under acute heat stress. The nanoscale formulation also attenuated liver enzyme elevations associated with stress, underscoring its potential to reinforce resilience against thermal challenges in intensive farming systems.

Dietary Curcumin Supplementation in Aquaculture publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in dietary curcumin supplementation in aquaculture across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Nano-curcumin: Curcumin particles engineered at the nanometre scale to improve solubility, stability and tissue bioavailability in aquatic feeds.

Tight junction proteins: Intercellular components that seal the space between intestinal epithelial cells to maintain barrier integrity.

Nrf2 signalling: A cellular pathway involving nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 that regulates antioxidant gene expression in response to oxidative stress.

Feed conversion ratio (FCR): A measure of feed efficiency, calculated as the weight of feed consumed divided by the weight gain of the fish.

Humoral immunity: The branch of the immune system mediated by circulating molecules such as antibodies and complement proteins.

References

1. A comparative study of effects of curcumin and its nanoparticles on the growth, immunity and heat stress resistance of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Scientific Reports (2023).
2. Curcumin Alleviates Singapore Grouper Iridovirus-Induced Intestine Injury in Orange-Spotted Grouper (Epinephelus coioides). Antioxidants (2023).
3. Dietary curcumin nanoparticles promoted the performance, antioxidant activity, and humoral immunity, and modulated the hepatic and intestinal histology of Nile tilapia fingerlings. Fish Physiology and Biochemistry (2022).
4. The effects of nano-curcumin on growth performance, feed utilization, blood biochemistry, disease resistance, and gene expression in European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) fingerlings. Aquaculture Reports (2024).