The growing demand for aquaculture products, as means for high-quality protein, ended up making aquaculture a great business opportunity. However, aquaculture has become increasingly reliant on the use of chemical compounds to control infectious organisms. Because of the adverse effect of these compounds in the environment, there is a growing need to natural bioactive compounds. Propolis is recognized as a promising bioactive compound for aquaculture applications particularly as a feed additive.
Research Scholar
M.F. Sc, Department of
Aquaculture, TNJFU-Dr. M.G.R. FCRI, Ponneri, India
Research Scholar
M.F. Sc, Department of
Aquaculture, TNJFU-Dr. M.G.R. FCRI, Ponneri, India
Aquaculture production has risen globally in the past decades, resulting in economic and social growth for those engaged in this activity, contributing significantly to employment generation and the production of high-quality protein intended for human consumption. The growing demand for aquaculture products, as means for high-quality protein, ended up making aquaculture a great business opportunity. However, due to the intensification of the culture activities for improved production, aquaculture has become increasingly reliant on the increasing use of chemical compounds for its development, chiefly to control infectious organisms. Because of the adverse effect of these compounds in the environment, there is a growing need to replace these chemical compounds in aquaculture with natural bioactive compounds to reduce the danger and adverse effects that synthetic chemicals. Propolis is recognized as a promising bioactive compound for aquaculture applications particularly as a feed additive.
Propolis is primordial and has been used since ancient times. There is evidence that it was used by ancient Egyptians, Persians, and Romans. Bees employ propolis as a “disinfection” material, which the Egyptians learned from. The first scientific paper on propolis, including its chemical characteristics and composition, was published in 1908.
WHAT IS PROPOLIS?
Propolis is a gelatinous yellow pale resin made by bees with the mixture of wax, pollen, plant exudates and an enzyme found in bee saliva, and it has antibacterial, anti-parasitic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and antioxidant effects. Plant exudates, such as mucilages, gums, resins, and fluids, are acquired by bees and combined with wax, pollen, and 13-glicosidase enzymes present in their saliva, which hydrolyze flavonoids glycosides into flavonoid aglycones, resulting in propolis. The name propolis comes from the Greek words pro-, meaning for or in defence, and polis-, meaning city, as in defence of the city. Propolis is utilized by bees to seal their hives, function as a thermal insulator, and restrict the entry of external invaders as well as the multiplication of dangerous bacteria and fungi.
WHAT IS PROPOLIS MADE OF?
Propolis contains a variety of organic components, including 45 to 55 percent resins and vegetable gums (phenolic acids, esters and flavonoids), 8–35 percent wax (primarily beeswax), 5-10 percent aromatic and essential oils (viridiflorol, tricosane, pinene, and eudesmol), 5 percent fatty acids, 5 percent pollen, and 5 percent other organic compounds. Propolis is made up of a variety of biomolecules, including phenols, esters, and terpenes, as well as sugars, hydrocarbons, and mineral elements. In medicine, phenols are employed as antiseptics. Flavonoids, tannins, phenolic acids, curcuminoids, stilbenes, coumarins, and quinines are all phenolic chemicals found in plants. The antioxidant, anti-carcinogenic, anti-mutagenic, and anti-inflammatory properties of propolis is due to the presence of the above compounds.
COLLECTION OF PROPOLIS
Special collector traps are the most often used harvesting method that assures propolis extraction without contamination, are installed directly on frames and beneath the roof, or at the corners of a hive. Traps are nets made of nylon or plastic with tiny openings that encourage worker bees to load the trap with propolis. Propolis production peaks in the autumn, since bees prefer to seal all the pores and crevices in their hive before the winter cold arrives.
ROLE OF PROPOLIS IN AQUAFEED
Growth promoter: Nutrition is crucial in aquaculture since it accounts for 40-50% of the total cost of production. The antibacterial and antioxidant action of propolis components is thought to aid in intestinal health, digestion, and absorption while also boosting growth performance. The vitamins (B1, C, E) and minerals (Fe, Al, Mn) present in the propolis additionally promotes enzyme activity and digestive cofactors which paves way to increase the nutritional absorption and digestion, increasing fish weight. Additionally, it helps in promoting the sperm quality and fertility.
Immunostimulant effect: In aquaculture, immunostimulatory drugs are commonly employed to boost innate immune responses. Propolis activates macrophages that regulate the non-specific immunity. Propolis stimulates the production of cytokines including IL-1, IL-2, and TNF-a, which activate T and B lymphocytes and it can also control macrophage C1q synthesis as well as complement receptor activity, either directly or via cytokines, altering the immune response’s early stages.
Antimicrobial effect: Pathogens infect fish, especially under an intense culture system, causing significant morbidity and death, as well as a drop in production efficiency, causing high production losses. Propolis stimulates the innate immune response or reduces parasite damage in the host tissue by encouraging macrophages to produce microbicidal chemicals. The resistance activity of Gram-negative bacteria is higher than gram-positive bacteria to propolis because of the presence of multidrug resistance (MDRs) pumps which expel the amphipathic poisons across the outer membrane and also the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria prevents or slows propolis penetration at low doses. The biological components of propolis, such as flavonoids, phenolic components, and their esters, ketones, and phenolic aldehydes, can prevent fungal infections. Various components present in the propolis such as quercetin, naringenin, and caffeic acid affect the cytoplasmic membrane (causing membrane potential degeneracy), inhibiting enzyme function as well as the bacterial movement.
Antioxidant activity: Daidzein, naringenin, quercetin, chrysin, ferulic acid, kaempferol, drupanin, pinocembrin, apigenin, caffeic acid, cinnamic acid, 3′,7- dimethyl ether, isosakuranetin artepillin C, coumaric acid aromadendrin-4′-methyl ether, pinobanksin 3-acetate, and baccharin are the components present in propolis responsible for antioxidant activity. The mechanism of action is the result of their capacity to scavenge free radicals, bind metal ions, and reduce oxidative stress. Propolis components (caffeic acid and 3-prenyl-4-hydroxy-cinnamic acid) exhibit unique antioxidant properties, whereas artepillin C uses irregular scavenging activity to reduce the activity of free radicals.
CONCLUSION
Propolis being an amalgamation of myriad of essential properties like anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, growth promoter etc. The necessity of its addition as feed additive which significantly improvise the feed quality of the fishes.
References:
1. Ahangari, Z., Naseri, M. and Vatandoost, F., 2018. Propolis: chemical composition and its applications in endodontics. Iranian endodontic journal, 13(3), p.285.
2. Farag, M.R., Abdelnour, S.A., Patra, A.K., Dhama, K., Dawood, M.A., Elnesr, S.S. and Alagawany, M., 2021. Propolis: properties and composition, health benefits and applications in fish nutrition. Fish & Shellfish Immunology, 115, pp.179-188.
3. Kuropatnicki, A.K., Szliszka, E. and Krol, W., 2013. Historical aspects of propolis research in modern times. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013
About Kamalii Ahilan
Kamalii Ahilan, gravitational pull towards fisheries since childhood has paved the way to pursue her Masters in aquaculture at Dr. M.G.R. Fisheries College and Research Institute, Ponneri. Being a tree-hugger, she certainly wanted the fisheries to be in line with sustainability. Her current works are focused on the use of insect meal (black soldier fly larvae) to replace the fish meal in aquaculture. Being moved by the quote “Awareness is the greatest agent of change”, she has conducted several seminars and spoke up on sustainability to make the people aware of the pertaining menace situation and the urge to combat back to normalcy. She has also published several reviewed and popular articles in the view of aquaculture.About Mahalakshmi Shankar
Mahalakshmi is currently pursuing Master’s degree in aquaculture at Dr. M.G.R. R Fisheries College and Research Institute, Ponneri. She has a strong interest in biofloc technology. She is passionate about working on aquaponics and rearing of ornamental fishes.
