Natural Bioactive Compounds as Metabolic Modulators in Cultured Fish: A Critical Review of Lipid Homeostasis, Oxidative Stress, and Cellular Responses

2026-08-14T10:47:28+00:00

High-fat diets (HFDs) are increasingly used in aquaculture to increase dietary energy density and spare protein for growth, but excessive lipid supply can promote hepatic lipid accumulation, oxidative stress, inflammation, intestinal dysfunction, and impaired metabolic homeostasis. Natural bioactive compounds have therefore attracted attention as functional feed additives capable of improving metabolic resilience. This critical review evaluates evidence from fish studies on curcumin, resveratrol, chlorogenic acid, berberine, quercetin, tea polyphenols, hydroxytyrosol, glycyrrhetinic acid, and related plant-derived compounds used under high-fat or high-lipid feeding conditions. Particular attention is given to mechanisms involving PPAR-mediated fatty-acid oxidation, SREBP/FAS-regulated lipogenesis, AMPK-associated energy sensing and mitochondrial quality control, Nrf2-linked antioxidant defense, and NF-κB-associated inflammatory signaling. Across the available evidence, several natural bioactives reduce hepatic or circulating lipid accumulation and improve antioxidant, inflammatory, histological, or metabolic indicators, although growth responses are less consistent. Responses depend strongly on fish species, dietary lipid level and source, bioactive dose, feeding duration, compound purity, and the physiological endpoint examined. Current evidence therefore supports selected natural bioactives primarily as metabolic modulators rather than universal growth promoters. Future research should emphasize standardized HFD models, dose-response designs, chemical characterization of extracts, correct identification of the experimental unit, mechanistic validation, and testing under commercial farming conditions.

Minireview – Fruits Waste as Alternative Feed Ingredients in Aquaculture

2026-08-23T09:35:34+00:00

Agricultural byproducts of fruit waste, such as banana peels, mango peels, orange peels, pomegranate peels, and pineapple peels, are sources of nutrients and bioactive compounds that have the potential to be used as raw materials for functional feed in aquaculture. This mini-review article aims to summarize various studies on the nutritional content, bioactive compounds, and the effects of fruit waste utilization on the growth, immune system, stress resistance, and health of farmed fish. Various studies have shown that fruit waste contains protein, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phenolic compounds, flavonoids, terpenes, and carotenoids that act as natural antioxidants, antimicrobials, and immunostimulants. The use of fruit waste at appropriate doses has been shown to improve feed efficiency, growth performance, survival rates, and immune responses in fish, although its effectiveness is influenced by the type of waste, fish species, and the level of addition to the feed. The use of fruit waste as a feed raw material not only supports the development of sustainable aquaculture through the waste-to-wealth and circular economy concepts but also has the potential to reduce environmental pollution caused by the accumulation of agricultural waste.

GPH-International Journal of Agriculture and Research

Natural Bioactive Compounds as Metabolic Modulators in Cultured Fish: A Critical Review of Lipid Homeostasis, Oxidative Stress, and Cellular Responses

Minireview – Fruits Waste as Alternative Feed Ingredients in Aquaculture