Lycopene reduces the impacts of aquatic environmental pollutants and physical stressors in fish

Aquatic organisms are susceptible throughout their lives to chemical and physical stressors, which negatively affect their health. Various aquatic pollutants derived from industrial effluents, overuse of some agricultural pesticides, herbicides and insecticides may cause devastating toxicological aspects of aquatic organisms and deteriorate their health and growth. They also led to oxidative stress to fish due to the stimulation of the production of reactive oxygen species. Therefore, the need for using natural antioxidants to be used as feed additives is of great importance to counteract the hazardous oxidative stress responses. The use of phytochemicals, which characterized by substantial antioxidative effects, has been raised. Lycopene is the principal carotenoid pigment found in tomatoes and their products, vegetables and red fruits. Numerous studies have recommended the use of lycopene as a powerful antioxidant to attenuate the oxidative stress responses in several fish species exposed to various toxicants or any other stress conditions. Lycopene maintains the health condition of fish by enhancing the immune and antioxidative responses. This review article aimed to elucidate the current information about the potential use of dietary lycopene for several fish species and its capability to attenuate the oxidative stress and haemato-immunological alterations resulted from aquatic environmental pollutants and other physical stressors. Additionally, the review discusses some aspects regarding the lycopene mode of action to assess the profits that would be of importance in the aquaculture industry.