REVIEW: Unveiling the potential of herbal biomedicines as a sustainable solution for the aquaculture industry.

Hormones, antibiotics, vitamins, and synthetic chemicals have been widely used in aquaculture to improve growth and disease control, yet their application poses concerns related to residues, antimicrobial resistance, and environmental impact. As sustainable alternatives, herbal biomedicines derived from medicinal plants offer eco-friendly and residue-free solutions. Rich in bioactive compounds such as phenolics, flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenoids, these phytochemicals exhibit antimicrobial, antioxidant, immunostimulatory, growth-promoting, stress-mitigating, and reproductive-enhancing effects. Numerous studies on fish and shrimp demonstrate that herbal additives can enhance feed utilization, digestive enzyme activity, immune response, and disease resistance. This review depicts current evidence on the biological effects, mechanisms of herbal compounds in aquaculture and highlights key research gaps, including dose-response validation, standardization, and long-term field evaluation, essential for advancing their safe and effective integration into sustainable aquaculture practices.