Phytogenic Dietary Additives in Aquaculture Health
Summary
Phytogenic dietary additives encompass a broad array of plant-derived compounds—including essential oils, extracts and herbal powders—incorporated into aquafeeds to bolster the health and performance of farmed aquatic species. These natural supplements have been shown to promote growth, enhance both innate and adaptive immune defences, mitigate oxidative stress and favourably modulate the composition of the gut microbiota. By offering sustainable alternatives to antibiotics and synthetic chemicals, phytogenics help to reduce disease outbreaks, lower environmental residues and improve product quality. Mechanistic studies have revealed that specific bioactive molecules can upregulate antioxidant enzymes, influence cytokine gene expression and reinforce mucosal barriers. Together, these attributes underscore the global importance of phytogenic additives in building resilient, eco-friendly and productive aquaculture systems.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Phytogenic Dietary Additives in Aquaculture Health publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in phytogenic dietary additives in aquaculture health across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Phytogenic dietary additives: Plant-derived compounds such as essential oils, extracts and herbs incorporated into feed to enhance animal health and performance.
Essential oils: Volatile, hydrophobic plant extracts composed of terpenes and phenolic compounds with antimicrobial, antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties.
Antioxidant biomarkers: Enzymes and molecules, including superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase, that indicate the capacity to mitigate oxidative stress.
Gut microbiota: The community of microorganisms inhabiting the digestive tract, influencing nutrient absorption, immune function and disease resistance.
Cytokine gene expression: The transcriptional activity of genes encoding signalling proteins that regulate immune responses and inflammation.
References
- Effects of Eucalyptus Essential Oil on Growth, Immunological Indicators, Disease Resistance, Intestinal Morphology and Gut Microbiota in Trachinotus ovatus. Microorganisms (2025).
- Chia (Salvia hispanica) Seed Oil Modulates the Haemato-Immunological Response, Antioxidative Status and Cytokine Gene Expression of Tropical Freshwater Teleost, Labeo rohita. Biology (2025).
- Modulation of Antioxidant Defense in Farmed Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Fed with a Diet Supplemented by the Waste Derived from the Supercritical Fluid Extraction of Basil (Ocimum basilicum). Antioxidants (2022).
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.