Medicinal Fruit Lapsi Choerospondias axillaris Roxburgh, 1832 (B. L. Burtt & A. W. Hill) Enhances Fish Growth and Immunity in Aquaculture

Today we live in a world where poverty, hunger and malnutrition are prevalent. It has been estimated that 14 per cent of the global population or 852 million people are going hungry and of these 690 million are in the Asia-Pacific region. Aquaculture is the farming of aquatic organisms in both coastal and inland areas involving interventions in the rearing process to enhance production. It is probably the fastest growing food-producing sector and now accounts for 50 percent of the world's fish that is used for food. Fish contributes over 20 per cent of the animal protein intake for more than 2.6 billion people around the world. Hence, fish and fisheries make a major contribution to nutritional security and the fight against hunger and poverty in Asia. Immunostimulants known as immunostimulators are attractive substances that activate the immune system of humans and animals for prevention of diseases and improvement of the body's natural resistance to various viral and bacterial infections. These biologically active substances are the products derived from natural sources or synthetically made with different chemical properties and mechanisms of action. Lapsi, Choerospondias axillaris is indigenous fruit tree of Nepal found growing within 900- 2000 m above sea level in many parts of the country. Native to Nepal hills (850-1900 m asl), the tree has also been reported from India, China, Thailand, Japan and Vietnam. Nepal is unique for processing and use of Lapsi fruits. Fruits are rich in vitamin C content, and are consumed fresh, pickled and processed for preparing a variety of sweet and sour, tasty food products locally called as Mada and candy. It is grown in 301 village Development committees of 29 hill districts of Nepal for some socio-economic purpose. Like other medicinal fruits, lapsi also act as immunostimulants and enhance the immunity of fish during aquaculture.