The Covid-19 pandemic has brought about major changes in people's lifestyles, encouraging the adoption of new habitual adaptations (IMR) which include hygiene practices, crowd restrictions and healthy eating patterns to increase the body's immunity. Awareness of the importance of health has increased, so that people prefer natural ingredients over chemical drugs. One natural ingredient of concern is snakehead fish, which is known to have a high albumin content and various health benefits.

Fish cork; taxonomy and habitat

Fish cork (Channa striata) is a species of carnivorous freshwater fish belonging to the family Channidae. This fish has a wide distribution, starting from Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, southern China, to Southeast Asia, including Indonesia. In Indonesia, snakehead fish are known by various local names such as aruan, haruan, kocolan, and curse. The natural habitat of snakehead fish includes various freshwater ecosystems such as lakes, swamps, rivers, and irrigation canals, where they prey on small fish, insects, and other aquatic animals. The presence of snakehead fish in aquatic ecosystems often stands out because of its aggressive carnivorous nature and ability to prey on various types of small animals.

One of the unique characteristics of the snakehead fish is its ability to survive outside the water, which makes it known as "walking fish". This ability is very useful when their habitat dries up, because snakehead fish can move on land to look for a better environment. This ability is made possible by additional respiratory organs in the form of a labyrinth, which allows this fish to take oxygen directly from the air. This labyrinth functions as a respiratory system in addition to gills, and provides significant adaptive advantages for survival in extreme environmental conditions.

However, the carnivorous nature and ability to dominate snakehead fish in aquatic ecosystems raises ecological problems. As voracious predators, snakehead fish can threaten the sustainability of local aquatic biota by preying excessively on small fish. This makes it an invasive species in some areas, where its presence can disrupt the balance of local ecosystems. Dominant snakehead fish in an ecosystem can reduce biodiversity and threaten native species that cannot compete with these efficient predators.

Potential of snakehead fish as a source of albumin

One of the main advantages of snakehead fish is its high protein and albumin content, making it an excellent source of nutrition for human health. Albumin is a simple water-soluble protein and plays an important role in the physiology of the human body. Every 100 grams of snakehead fish contains around 6.2 percent albumin, which is a higher amount compared to other sources of albumin such as eggs, milk and meat. Albumin is an important component in the body that has various vital functions.

Albumin serum

The main role of albumin in the human body is very crucial. One of its functions is to regulate blood osmotic pressure, which helps maintain fluid balance in blood plasma and prevents the accumulation of fluid in body tissues, which can cause edema, and in body cavities which can cause ascites. In addition, albumin functions as a transporter for nutrients and medicines in the body. Albumin transports various water-insoluble substances, such as free fatty acids, calcium, and iron through blood plasma, allowing nutrients and drugs to reach the cells that need them. This function is very important to ensure efficient distribution of nutrients and optimal absorption of drugs in the body.

In addition, albumin plays an important role in the formation of new tissue, which is needed during the process of growth and wound healing. This function is very important for babies, children, teenagers and pregnant women who need more albumin to support healthy body growth and development. Normal albumin content in adults ranges from 3.5-5 grams per deciliter, while in children it is between 2.5-5.5 grams per deciliter. Albumin deficiency can cause various serious health problems and requires intervention in the form of albumin supplements. In this case, consumption of snakehead fish is a more affordable natural alternative compared to expensive albumin infusion.

Health benefits of snakehead fish

Research has shown that consuming snakehead fish or its extract has significant benefits in increasing albumin levels in the blood. One of the main findings is the ability of snakehead fish to speed up the wound healing process by up to 30 percent, which makes it very useful for patients experiencing various medical conditions. For example, patients with open wounds or after surgery can experience faster healing with adequate albumin intake from snakehead fish. Albumin plays a role in forming new tissue and repairing damaged cells, thereby speeding up the regeneration and recovery process.

Apart from helping wound healing, snakehead fish is also beneficial for patients with broken bones. The healing process of broken bones requires adequate nutrition and adequate albumin to re-form new bone tissue. Consuming snakehead fish can increase albumin levels in the blood, which in turn helps speed up the healing process and strengthen bone structure. Likewise, patients who have suffered a stroke may benefit from a high intake of albumin because albumin helps repair damaged brain cells and tissue affected by stroke, speeding recovery and increasing neurological function.

Apart from that, the benefits of snakehead fish are also felt by patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes, tuberculosis and poor nutrition. In diabetes patients, albumin helps regulate osmotic pressure and maintain fluid balance in the body, which is very important considering that diabetes often causes complications related to fluid retention and tissue damage. In tuberculosis patients, who often experience weight loss and fatigue, albumin from snakehead fish helps improve nutritional conditions and increase body endurance. Meanwhile, for patients with poor nutrition, snakehead fish is a nutritional source that is rich in protein and albumin, which is very necessary to improve their health.

Snakehead fish meat with abundant benefits

Opportunities in snakehead fish cultivation

Currently, the availability of snakehead fish still largely depends on wild catches from nature. This condition raises concerns regarding the sustainability of the snakehead fish supply, considering that demand for this fish continues to increase along with increasing public awareness of its health benefits. Snakehead fish is known to have a high albumin content, which is very useful in various health applications. To meet this increasing demand, developing snakehead fish cultivation is a must. Well-planned and managed cultivation can ensure stable and sustainable supplies, reduce pressure on wild populations, and support the conservation of natural resources.

However, snakehead fish cultivation is not free from challenges. One of the main challenges is the need for suitable habitat to support the growth and reproduction of snakehead fish. The snakehead fish's natural habitat includes lakes, swamps, rivers and irrigation canals, which must be replicated in aquaculture environments to ensure the fish can thrive. Apart from that, the carnivorous nature of snakehead fish also needs to be considered in cultivation. These fish prey on small fish and other aquatic animals, so feed management and population control are essential to prevent cannibalism and ensure production efficiency. Another challenge is managing the environmental impact of cultivation activities, including waste management and maintaining water quality