Plant extracts and compounds for combating schistosomiasis

Schistosomiasis is a vector-borne water-based disease caused by Schistosoma blood flukes. It mostly affects people in low-income regions, 90% of reported cases being in developing countries. Schistosoma has a complex lifecycle, alternately infecting mammalian hosts and snails. The snails hosting the parasite are the most viable targets. Selective preparations for reducing the parasite pool in snails and infected water are required as current molluscicides are also nontoxic to other organisms, including fish, and thus affect food supplies in infected areas. Plants (e.g. Annona crassiflora Mart., A. muricata L., and A. montana Macfad.) are attractive potential sources as alternative molluscicides and novel entity to treat the disease owned to their diverse biologically potent compounds including; saponins, alkaloids, terpenoids, and tannins. Additionally, they can be locally cultivated, providing income for farmers and reducing treatment costs. Here, we review plants, plant extracts and isolated compounds that have shown activities against the host snails or Schistosoma in various parts of its life cycle. Plants have a lot of potential and will continue to contribute feasible, effective medicines and/or pesticides; more research is warranted to fully explore their future applications.

Graphical abstract