Artemisia, a Promising Tool for Integrated Parasite Control

Area of Science:

• Ethnobotany and Ethnoveterinary Medicine
• Parasitology
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Gastrointestinal parasites cause significant animal health issues and economic losses.
• Antiparasitic resistance necessitates novel control strategies.
• Herbal remedies, particularly from the genus Artemisia, are gaining attention as sustainable alternatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the genus Artemisia and its role in controlling gastrointestinal parasites.
• To explore Artemisia's potential as a natural antiparasitic agent.
• To consolidate research on Artemisia's efficacy against parasites.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was performed across multiple scientific databases.
• Keywords included "Artemisia", "Artemisin", "gastrointestinal parasites", "effect", and "resistance".
• 15 relevant articles were selected for review, covering in vivo and in vitro studies.

Main Results:

• Studies investigated Artemisia plants and their derived molecules against various gastrointestinal parasites.
• The genus Artemisia demonstrated impact on both free and endogenous parasite life stages.
• Both positive and negative treatment outcomes were reported for different parasite species.

Conclusions:

• Artemisia species possess secondary metabolites with antiparasitic properties.
• Artemisia represents a promising natural alternative to synthetic antiparasitic drugs.
• Further research is warranted to fully elucidate Artemisia's efficacy and mechanisms against gastrointestinal parasites.