Recent contributions to development of herbal-based immunomodulators for farm animals

Abstract

Safety and quality of food and feed today is at a high level, the challenge is to ensure a healthy daily diet but affordable for everyone. But the most important link for obtaining sanogen products for food is to use organic, eco-friendly and not polluted agricultural raw materials (vegetable and animal) and most of all, to “produce for man in harmony with nature”.
Use of immunostimulants is a unique approach for farm owners as they undertake methods of controlling disease losses in their facilities. Microbial diseases are limiting factors in all forms of intensive culture and a problem is that few approved chemotherapeutic agents are available for use in animal food because of growing concerns for consumers liability and for accumulation of substances in the environment. Many medicinal plants showing immunomodulatory activity have been used instead of drugs because of their low toxicity for the host system.
This review aims at presenting recent contributions to development of herbal-based immunomodulators for farm animals, a total of 97 studies from 2000 - 2016 concerning species of economic interest (various categories of fish - tilapia, trout, carp; shrimps; cattle; pigs and chickens). In veterinary practice, innovative eco-friendly products that could improve or prevent some disorders became of great actuality and therefore the research on animals of economic interest should continue for the benefit of both animals and humans.