An Insight into the Global Problem of Gastrointestinal Helminth Infections amongst Livestock: Does Nanotechnology Provide an Alternative?

Abstract

Helminth parasitic infections are a considerable constraint to the livestock industries worldwide. Nematode parasites cause the major proportion of harm to livestock. The infections caused are accountable for severe economic losses in cattle, goat and sheep farming industries. Morbidity and mortality in livestock due to parasitic diseases are increasing alarmingly. Also, their zoonotic influence on human health is considered significant. Anthelmintic drugs have been developed occasionally to curb this disease and prevent major losses. But the development of resistance against these drugs has put another constraint on this flourishing industry. Helminth parasites have developed resistance against three main classes of anthelmintics: benzimidazoles, macrocyclic lactones and nicotinic agonists. With the intensification of resistance, various screening and confirmatory tests have been developed for the speedy introduction of newer drugs in the livestock industry. At the same time, designing and launching novel anthelmintics is time-consuming and economically restrained. Phytochemicals attract much attention because of their pharmacotherapeutic potential, least toxic profile and low environmental hazards. A lot of work is going on plant-based anthelmintic drugs throughout the world. Plants possessing anthelmintic activity have been found efficacious against gastrointestinal parasites. Nevertheless, these herbal medicines have various drawbacks, which include poor efficacy and the absence of target selectivity. These problems are now being taken care of with the help of nanotechnology. Nanoparticles improve the drug’s effectiveness, enhance drug delivery, and target selectivity at specific sites. A comprehensive literature survey was carried out via electronic searches of Google Scholar, PubMed, MEDLINE, Science Direct, Scopus and Cochrane Library databases and based on inclusion and exclusion criteria; articles were selected for this review. The review aims at providing a comprehensive overview of plant-based nanoparticles as therapeutic alternatives over conventional synthetic anthelmintic drugs. It also encompasses the methods of detection of resistance and the ways to overcome this menace. The effectiveness of various organic and inorganic nanoparticles against helminthes is also discussed in this review.

Nano-Food Farming: Toward Sustainable Applications of Proteins, Mushrooms, Nano-Nutrients, and Nanofibers

“…Research on nano-farming systems has focused on food production through cropping systems [33,34] and animal production systems [35,36]. This includes mushrooms [37,38], vegetables [39], row crops [40], cattle production [41], fisheries [42], and aquaculture like seaweed farming [43], among others. Traditional farming depends on the use of conventional agrochemicals, including fertilizers and pesticides, which have a lot of negative consequences for human and ecosystem health [44,45].…”

Challenges and Prospective of Enhancing Hydatid Cyst Chemotherapy by Nanotechnology and the Future of Nanobiosensors for Diagnosis

“…With the potential to change the therapeutic landscape, this precise and efficient drug delivery system may become a saving grace for those suffering from this parasitic condition [40][41][42][43]. Hydatid cyst disease and nanotechnology synergize to create a compelling story of hope in the face of adversity [44][45][46][47].…”

Using of Nanoparticles in treating of Hydatid Disease in Domestic Animals

“…Encapsulation of anthelmintic agents within nanoparticles can protect these drugs from degradation in the gastrointestinal tract, ensuring a more sustained and controlled release of the therapeutic agent at the target site, such as Echinococcus cysts in the liver or lungs of infected animals (Norouzi et al, 2020;Hamid et al, 2023).…”