Benefits of Silymarin as an Immune and Growth Enhancer in Farmed Fish

Document Type : Review Article

Authors

1 Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44511, Egypt

2 Department of Aquatic Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, PO Box 44511, Zagazig, Sharkia, Egypt

Abstract

The potential advantages of silymarin, a flavonoid compound derived from milk thistle (Sillybum marianum) ((SM), for fish development and health have drawn more attention in aquaculture. This organic antioxidant is well-known for its immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective, and anti-inflammatory qualities. Supplementing fish with silymarin enhance liver function, detoxification, and defense against oxidative stress brought on by dietary toxins or environmental contaminants. Improved feed conversion ratios, quicker growth rates, and higher nutrient absorption all result from these impacts, which eventually raise production efficiency. There are various detrimental factors used in fish farming either used as feed additives or either introduced from polluted waters as drug residues, wastewater effluents and these molecules can lead to immune suppression and hepatotoxicity. Thus, the use of phytobiotics such as (SM), a source of silymarin, is receiving a lot of interest. The major flavonolignans of silymarin are in seeds with about 20%–30% of polymeric and polyphenolic compounds such as tannins. So, the various characteristics of silymarin such as its antioxidant, hepatoprotective, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and growth-promoting qualities are concerned in the current review.

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