Efficacy of garlic (Allium sativum) extract applied as a therapeutic immersion treatment for Neobenedenia sp. management in aquaculture

Abstract

Garlic, Allium sativum L., extract administered as a therapeutic bath was shown to have antiparasitic properties towards Neobenedenia sp. (MacCallum) (Platyhelminthes: Monogenea) infecting farmed barramundi, Lates calcarifer (Bloch). The effect of garlic extract (active component allicin) immersion on Neobenedenia sp. egg development, hatching success, oncomiracidia (larvae) longevity, infection success and juvenile Neobenedenia survival was examined and compared with freshwater and formalin immersion. Garlic extract was found to significantly impede hatching success (5% ± 5%) and oncomiracidia longevity (<2 h) at allicin concentrations of 15.2 μL L(-1) , while eggs in the seawater control had >95% hatching success and mean oncomiracidia longevity of 37 ± 3 h. At much lower allicin concentrations (0.76 and 1.52 μL L(-1)), garlic extract also significantly reduced Neobenedenia infection success of L. calcarifer to 25% ± 4% and 11% ± 4%, respectively, compared with 55% ± 7% in the seawater control. Juvenile Neobenedenia attached to host fish proved to be highly resistant to allicin with 96% surviving 1-h immersion in 10 mL L(-1) (15.2 μL L(-1) allicin) of garlic extract. Allicin-containing garlic extracts show potential for development as a therapy to manage monogenean infections in intensive aquaculture with the greatest impact at the egg and larval stages.

Essential oils of Lippia sidoides and Mentha piperita against monogenean parasites and their influence on the hematology of Nile tilapia

“…The immobilization test was efficient, as also observed by Militz et al (2014), in evaluating garlic extract against the monogenean Neobenedenia sp. in L. calcarifer.…”

Reproductive Strategies of the Insidious Fish Ectoparasite, Neobenedenia sp. (Capsalidae: Monogenea)

“…Furthermore, attached parasite stages are transparent, which can reduce predation by cleaner organisms [21] . Eggs are encapsulated by a proteinaceous shell which confers protection to the developing embryo from digestion [25] , most chemicals [26] – [29] and bacteria [1] . Capsalid monogeneans are hermaphrodites, displaying several types of reproduction including mutual cross-insemination [30] , attachment of spermatophores to other individuals [31] and self-insemination (as observed by the copulatory organ lodged in the parasite's own uterus; see [30] , [32] ).…”

Terminalia catappa L. extract improves survival, hematological profile and resistance to Aeromonas hydrophila in Betta sp.

“…Similar results reported on previous work indicate that Nile tilapia immersed in extracts of Asparagus racemosus (Mukherjee et al 2015) and Neobenedenia sp. with Allium sativum (Militz et al 2014) had significantly better survival than did controls without immersion. The high survival percentage of fish in different treatments could indicate that the phytochemical content in the plant extracts contributed to improved fish health.…”