Impact of Seasonal and Organ-Related Fluctuations on the Anthelmintic Properties and Chemical Profile of Cladium mariscus (L.) Pohl Extracts

Development of In Vitro Assays with the Canine Hookworm Uncinaria stenocephala and Assessment of Natural Plant Products for Anti-Parasitic Activity

Enteric helminth infection is an increasing concern in companion animals due to reports of resistance to commonly used anthelmintic drugs. Thus, the assessment of new therapeutic options such as bioactive dietary additives is of high importance. Here, we adapted egg hatch, larval migration, and larval motility assays to screen extracts of several natural ingredients against the canine hookworm Uncinaria stenocephala, a prevalent parasite of dogs in northern Europe. Egg hatch and larval migration assays were established showing that the anthelmintic drugs levamisole and albendazole had strong anti-parasitic activity against U. stenocephala, validating the use of these assays for the assessment of novel anti-parasitic substances. Subsequently, we identified that extracts from the seaweed Saccharina latissima, but not extracts from grape seed or chicory, significantly inhibited both hatching and larval migration. Finally, we showed that α-linolenic acid, a putative anti-parasitic compound from S. latissima, also exhibited anti-parasitic activity. Collectively, our results established a platform for the screening for anthelmintic resistance or novel drug candidates against U. stenocephala and highlighted the potential use of seaweed extracts as a functional food component to help control hookworm infection in dogs.

Salt-Tolerant Plants as Sources of Antiparasitic Agents for Human Use: A Comprehensive Review

Parasitic diseases, especially those caused by protozoans and helminths, such as malaria, trypanosomiasis, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, schistosomiasis, onchocerciasis, and lymphatic filariasis, are the cause of millions of morbidities and deaths every year, mainly in tropical regions. Nature has always provided valuable antiparasitic agents, and efforts targeting the identification of antiparasitic drugs from plants have mainly focused on glycophytes. However, salt-tolerant plants (halophytes) have lately attracted the interest of the scientific community due to their medicinal assets, which include antiparasitic properties. This review paper gathers the most relevant information on antiparasitic properties of halophyte plants, targeting human uses. It includes an introduction section containing a summary of some of the most pertinent characteristics of halophytes, followed by information regarding the ethnomedicinal uses of several species towards human parasitic diseases. Then, information is provided related to the antiprotozoal and anthelmintic properties of halophytes, determined by in vitro and in vivo methods, and with the bioactive metabolites that may be related to such properties. Finally, a conclusion section is presented, addressing perspectives for the sustainable exploitation of selected species.