Helminthiasis and medicinal plants: a review

Helminthiasis is the most common infection caused by worms that is contaminant to human body parts. Normally, the worms live in the gastrointestinal tract, liver and other organs. The currently available anthelmintic drugs, including albendazole, mebendazole, thiabendazole, niridazole, dietylcarbamazine, ivermectin, praziquantel, are widely used to control helminthiasis. But these drugs have serious drawbacks such as hepatotoxicity, loss of appetite, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, headache and diarrhea. Thus, it is necessary to look for more effective anthelmintic drugs with the minimum side effects. Eighty percent of the world's population relies on traditional medicines and plant extracts and the active constituents are used to meet people's primary health care needs. This review focuses on helminthiasis and the role of traditional plants in the treatment of helminthiasis.