Mexican Medicinal Plants as an Alternative for the Development of New Compounds Against Protozoan Parasites

Abstract

The protozoan parasites Plasmodium, Leishmania, Trypanosoma, Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia lamblia, and Trichomonas vaginalis, cause high morbidity and mortality in developed and developing countries. P. falciparum is responsible for malaria, one of the most severe infectious diseases in Africa. Hundreds of million people are affected by Trypanosoma and Leishmania that cause African and South American trypanosomiasis, and leishmaniasis. E. histolytica and G. lamblia contribute to the enormous burden of diarrheal diseases worldwide; trichomoniasis is the most common nonviral sexually transmitted disease in the world. Because of the important side effects of current treatments and the decrease in drug susceptibility, there is a renewed interest for the search of therapeutic alternatives against these pathogens. Natural products obtained from medicinal plants and their derivatives have been recognized for many years as a source of therapeutic agents. There are numerous reports about medicinal plants that are used by indigenous communities to treat gastrointestinal complaints. Importantly, phytochemical studies have allowed the identification of several secondary metabolites with anti-parasite activity. Our review revealed that Mexican medicinal plants have a great potential for the identification of new molecules with activity against protozoan parasites of medical importance worldwide and their potential use as new therapeutic compounds.

Antiprotozoal Activity Against Entamoeba histolytica of Flavonoids Isolated from Lippia graveolens Kunth

“…Natural products occurring in medicinal plants have proved to be an important source of leading compounds for the design of new drugs [15]. Mexican oregano (Lippia graveolens Kunth) has been used in traditional Mexican medicine for curing inflammation-related diseases, such as respiratory and digestive disorders, headaches, and rheumatism, among others [16,17]. Oregano's essential oil, regardless of the species, shows a broad range of effects on bacteria, with some of them being resistant to antibiotics of clinical use, as well as on fungi and parasites [18][19][20][21][22].…”

Potential of essential oils to prevent fly strike and their effects on the longevity of adultLucilia sericata

“…Botanicals have been recognized for medicinal and insecticidal properties (Seddiek et al 2011, 2013, Murugan et al 2015, Roni et al 2015, Govindarajan et al 2016a,b, Ramirez‐Moreno et al 2017, Vaz et al 2018) since ancient Egypt (Khater 2017) and can be useful for managing blow fly strike. Essential oils are “natural,” relatively safe, pleasant‐smelling, and have anti‐feedant, repellent, and wound‐healing properties that make them acceptable to the public and attractive to organic producers and environmentally conscious consumers (Khater 2012a,b, 2013).…”

Anti-Trichomonas vaginalis Effect of Methanolic Extracts of Sambucus nigra in Comparison with Metronidazole

“…The use of medicinal herbs has been common in many countries around the world for many years. Today, the tendency to use them is increasing due to the benefits including fewer side effects, better access, cost-effectiveness, and adaptability of the physiological function of the body to their therapeutic effects (14,15). Studies on the antiparasitic effects of plants, particularly against trichomoniasis, have been increasing in recent years, often accompa-nied by satisfactory results (16)(17)(18).…”