Plant extracts and compounds for combating schistosomiasis (2025)

Medicinal plants and their bioactive constituents: A review of bioactivity against Schistosoma mansoni

Journal of medicinal plant research

Schistosomiasis is a neglected disease that affects approximately 200 million people worldwide. In order to reduce the parasite prevalence, further researches aiming new treatment methods is necessary. Once infected by Shistossoma mansoni, one can have no symptoms in the acute phase, however, chronic phase is characterized by marked egg-induced hepatic granulomatous inflammation. To prevent the disease, the main prophylactic method is environmental sanitation which decreases the entrance of eggs into water bodies. In addition to fighting the snail, treatment of population is important. Currently, for treatment of schistosomisasis, the most used drugs are Praziquantel (PZQ) and Oxamniquine, whereas PZQ is the drug of choice. Each drug has a specific mechanism of action aimed at the elimination of the parasite. However, any parasite treatment based on the use of a single drug poses serious concerns regarding the onset of resistance. The search for new therapeutic agents derived from medicinal plants for schistosomiasis has progressed significantly in the last decade. The aim of this paper is to provide an updated survey on medicinal plants that have significant therapeutic effects in animal models of schistosomiasis. A considerable number of herbal constituents with schistosomicidal effect have been well characterized and may be good candidates for prospective studies and investigations that may result in clinical usage.

Phytochemical Molluscicides and Schistosomiasis: What We Know and What We Still Need to Learn

Veterinary Sciences

Worldwide schistosomiasis remains a serious public health problem with approximately 67 million people infected and 200 million at risk of infection from inhabiting or transiting endemically active regions. Africa, South America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East are the main transmission regions of Schistosoma mansoni. The fight against transmission through the use of molluscicides is not recent and has been advocated as the only activity with the possibility of interruption of transmission in small, epidemiologically active outbreaks. Euphorbia milii var. hislopii (syn. splendens) (Des Moulins, 1826) is the most promising for use in official schistosomiasis control programs according to the WHO. In this review, we show that an understanding of some how E. milii latex affects the snail vector and their parasites from a molecular level to field conditions is lacking. On the other hand, this type of treatment could also provide a rationale for the control of schistosomiasis and othe...

Evaluation of Cercaricidal and Miracicidal Activity of Selected Plant Extracts Against Larval Stages of Schistosoma Mansoni

Journal of Natural Sciences Research, 2016

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by blood-flukes of the genus Schistosoma. It is one of the most widespread of all human parasitic diseases, ranking second only to malaria in terms of its socioeconomic and public health importance in tropical and subtropical areas.More than 207 million people, 85% of whom live in Africa, are infected with schistosomiasis ,and an estimated700 million people are at risk of infection in 76 countries.Control of schistosomiasis faces serious drawbacks of emergence of drug resistant parasites and molluscicide resistant snail hosts.Due to improper waste disposal,infected faecal matter enter water bodies such as canals rivers and springs where miracidia that hatch from parasite eggs develop into cercariae inside snail intermediate hosts and are infective to humans upon release in to the water.This study sought to evaluate the miracicidal and cercaricidal activity of selected plant extracts on larval stages of Schistosoma mansoni .Ten cercariae...

The Activity of Plant Crude Extracts against Schistosoma mansoni

Journal of Parasitology Research, 2021

Background. Schistosoma mansoni remains a significant health problem in low-income countries. Praziquantel (PZQ) is the only drug available to treat schistosomiasis, and PZQ resistance is a potential threat towards control of the disease although PZQ is currently effective against all species of schistosomes. Moreover, PZQ is less efficacious against larval stages. In response to these challenges, multiple in vivo/in vitro studies evaluated the anti-S. mansoni activity of crude plant extracts in a bid for novel drug(s). However, these studies appear fragmented and patchy. This systematic review explored the extent of such studies in the past 11 years (2010-2020). Methods. A systematic web search analysis and review of the literature on crude plant extracts tested against S. mansoni was done. Data from 17 articles meeting eligibility criteria were extracted and analyzed. Forty-three plant species have been tested by the 17 studies. The leaves, barks, stems, flowers, rhizomes, and roo...

Ethnobotanical survey of some medicinal plants used in the treatment of schistosomiasis in Sokoto mteropolis, Sokoto State, Nigeria

Caliphate Journal of Science and Technology, 2022

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease that affect the well-being of people in Sokoto State-Nigeria. A survey of medicinal plants used in the treatment of schistosomiasis was conducted in Kware/Wammakko Local Government areas of the state through the administration of structured questionnaire. The survey from 48 respondents revealed total 9 plant species belonging to different families were found to be frequently used in treatment of schistosomiasis. Qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analyses on the plants revealed the presence of secondary metabolites. In Acacia nilotica, flavvnoids (3.53 %), alkaloids (2.3 %), saponins (1.507 %), tannins (64 mg/dl), glycosides (0.32 g%), and steroids (79 mg%) were found to be present. In Balanites aegyptiaca, flavvnoids (2.66 %), alkaloids (2.6 %), saponins (1.05 %), tannins (72 mg/dl), glycosides (0.30 g%) and steroids (91 mg%) were present. In Khaya senegalensis, flavnoids (0.77 %), alkaloids (1.8 %), saponins (0.5 %), tannins (23 mg/dl...

Traditional Kenyan herbal medicine: exploring natural products’ therapeutics against schistosomiasis

Journal of Helminthology, 2022

Praziquantel (PZQ) remains the only drug of choice for the treatment of schistosomiasis, caused by parasitic flatworms. The widespread use of PZQ in schistosomiasis endemic areas for about four decades raises concerns about the emergence of resistance of Schistosoma spp. to PZQ under drug selection pressure. This reinforces the urgency in finding alternative therapeutic options that could replace or complement PZQ. We explored the potential of medicinal plants commonly used by indigenes in Kenya for the treatment of various ailments including malaria, pneumonia, and diarrhoea for their antischistosomal properties. Employing the Soxhlet extraction method with different solvents, seven medicinal plants Artemisia annua, Ajuga remota, Bredilia micranta, Cordia africana, Physalis peruviana, Prunus africana and Senna didymobotrya were extracted. Qualitative phytochemical screening was performed to determine the presence of various phytochemicals in the plant extracts. Extracts were tested against Schistosoma mansoni newly transformed schistosomula (NTS) and adult worms and the schistosomicidal activity was determined by using the adenosine triphosphate quantitation assay. Phytochemical analysis of the extracts showed different classes of compounds such as alkaloids, tannins, terpenes, etc., in plant extracts active against S. mansoni worms. Seven extracts out of 22 resulted in <20% viability against NTS in 24 h at 100 μg/ml. Five of the extracts with inhibitory activity against NTS showed >69.7% and ≥72.4% reduction in viability against adult worms after exposure for 24 and 48 h, respectively. This study provides encouraging preliminary evidence that extracts of Kenyan medicinal plants deserve further study as potential alternative therapeutics that may form the basis for the development of the new treatments for schistosomiasis.

Evaluation of 43 species of Congolese medicinal plants used traditionally for the treatment of schistosomiasis leading to the isolation of an anti-schistosomal phaeophytin from Pseudolachnostylis maprouneifolia Pax

Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2023

Schistosomiasis (bilharzia) is an important, prevalent and neglected tropical disease for which new treatments are urgently required. In the DR Congo and other sub-and tropical countries, traditional medicines are widely used for the control of schistosomiasis. Aim of study: To evaluate 43 Congolese plant species used traditionally for the treatment of urogenital schistosomiasis against Schistosoma mansoni. Materials and methods: Methanolic extracts were screened against S. mansoni newly transformed schistosomula (NTS). Three of the most active extracts were evaluated for acute oral toxicity in guinea pigs and activity guided fractionation of the least toxic was carried out using S. mansoni NTS and adult stages. An isolated compound was identified by means of spectroscopic techniques. Results: Thirty-nine of 62 extracts killed S. mansoni NTS at 100 μg/mL and 7 extracts were active at ≥ 90% at 25 μg/ mL; 3 extracts were selected for acute oral toxicity evaluation; the least toxic of these, Pseudolachnostylis maprouneifolia leaf was then subjected to activity-guided fractionation. 17 3-ethoxyphaeophorbide a (1) was isolated as an active compound with 56% activity against NTS at 50 μg/mL and 22.5% activity against adult S. mansoni at 100 μg/mL but these activities are significantly less than those of the parent fractions suggesting that other active compounds are also present and/or that synergistic interactions are taking place. Conclusion: This study has identified 39 plant extracts with activity against S. mansoni NTS lending support to their traditional use in the treatment of schistosomiasis for which new treatments are urgently needed. P. maprouneifolia leaf extract was found to have potent anti-schistosomal activity and low in vivo oral toxicity in guinea pigs; activity-guided fractionation resulted in the isolation of an active compound, 17 3-ethoxyphaeophorbide a. Phaeophorbides may merit exploration as potential anti-schistosomal agents and further work on plant species shown to have potent activity against S. mansoni NTS in this study would be worthwhile.

Neolignans isolated from Saururus cernuus L. (Saururaceae) exhibit efficacy against Schistosoma mansoni

Scientific Reports, 2022

Schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease caused by the blood fluke of the genus Schistosoma, affects over 230 million people, especially in developing countries. Despite the significant economic and public health consequences, only one drug is currently available for treatment of schistosomiasis, praziquantel. Thus, there is an urgent demand for new anthelmintic agents. Based on our continuous studies involving the chemical prospection of floristic biodiversity aiming to discover new bioactive compounds, this work reports the in vitro antiparasitic activity against Schistosoma mansoni adult worms of neolignans threo-austrobailignan-6 and verrucosin, both isolated from Saururus cernuus L. (Saururaceae). These neolignans showed a significant in vitro schistosomicidal activity, with EC 50 values of 12.6-28.1 µM. Further analysis revealed a pronounced reduction in the number of S. mansoni eggs. Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed morphological alterations when schistosomes were exposed to either threo-austrobailignan-6 or verrucosin. These relevant antischistosomal properties were accompanied by low cytotoxicity potential against the animal (Vero) and human (HaCaT) cell lines, resulting in a high selectivity index. Considering the promising chemical and biological properties of threo-austrobailignan-6 and verrucosin, this research should be of interest to those in the area of neglected diseases and in particular antischistosomal drug discovery. Schistosomiasis, a poverty-associated parasitic disease caused by blood fluke of the genus Schistosoma, is a debilitating disease with a tremendous global burden. Estimates show that over 230 million people are affected with schistosomiasis in 78 countries and approximately 10% of the world population is at risk for infection 1. Schistosoma mansoni, one of the three major human species, occurs across much of Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and South America. Morbidity due to schistosomiasis mansoni includes hepatosplenomegaly, liver fibrosis, and ascites; in severe cases, S. mansoni infection can be fatal 2. Consequently, it is a disease of immense medical importance. The control of schistosomiasis is mainly dependent on the use of praziquantel, the only readily commercially available drug 3,4. The Word Health Organization (WHO) strategy for schistosomiasis control focuses on largescale treatment (preventive chemotherapy) of affected populations, a strategy that might select for drug-resistant parasites. In addition, numerous persistent schistosomiasis hotspots remain 5,6 , and low cure rates have been reported 7,8. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses show that praziquantel achieves a cure rate of approximately 75% for S. mansoni infections 9,10 , demonstrating the limitations of praziquantel. With the aim to eliminate human schistosomiasis as a public health problem by 2030, in their new road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021-2030, the WHO highlights the need for new therapeutic interventions 11. Thus, the pressing need to develop

Anti-Schistosomal activity of five plant extracts on Swiss white mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni

IOSR Journal of Pharmacy and Biological Sciences, 2014

Schistosomiasis in humans is a major public health problem worldwide. Schistosomiasis occurs in 76 tropical countries and it is estimated that 85% of the infections are in Africa. In Kenya, it is estimated that 3 million people are infected. The Conventional drugs are effective in the treatment of the disease but very little progress has been achieved on treatment of Schistosomiasis in Kenya. Any effort towards developing alternative drugs for the disease is worthwhile. Praziquantel is the most effective drug against all adult stages of human Schistosomiasis, being the drug of choice for morbidity control of Schistosomiasis. However it is not a satisfying situation to have one drug used for the treatment. Ideally other drugs should be availed in order to avoid development of drug resistance. The use of plant extracts in treatment of diseases is universal. The results obtained showed that Ocimum americanum and Bridelia micrantha plant extracts had antischistosomal activity as indicated by high worm reduction and reduced gross pathology. Histopathology showed no or few granuloma in the liver tissue. Further work should be done on the efficacious extracts, towards drug development.

Anthelmintic Activity of the Natural Compound (+)-Limonene Epoxide against Schistosoma mansoni

Planta Medica, 2013