TITLE: Potential of herbal constituents as new natural leads against helminthiasis: A

neglected tropical disease

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Patil, K., Bagade, S., Sharma, S., et al. (2019). Potential of herbal
constituents as new natural leads against helminthiasis: A neglected tropical disease.
Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine. Retrieved February 24, 2020 from
http://www.apjtm.org/

SUMMARY
Helminthiasis is the most common infection caused by worms that is contaminant
to human body parts. The WHO reports that more than 1.45 billion people and animals
in tropical and subtropical regions are affected by helminthiasis as neglected tropical
disease. The currently available anthelmintic drugs, including albendazole,
mebendazole, thiabendazole, niridazole, dietylcarbamazine, ivermectin, praziquantel,
are widely used to control helminthiasis. The current mass drug treatment produces
severe side effects and many strains of helminths are resistant to them. Since most of
the anti-helminthic drug does not meet the ideal requirements such as broad spectrum
of activity, single dose cure, free from side effect and cost-effectiveness, the
researchers tried to find an alternative drug or treatment. In line with this, they
considered the potential of herbal medicines as natural leads against helminthiasis. As
a result, the authors revealed that the tested active herbs were approved for
effectiveness and safety but the mode of action and the phytoconstituents responsible
for the activity is not clearly known. In this article, the authors clearly stated that herbal
constituents have the potential to cure helminthiasis and replace antihelminthic drugs
but further study must be carried out.

REACTION
After reading the article, I could say that I agree with the authors. I have the
same thoughts with them that herbal constituents can be a potential prevention and
cure against helminthiasis. The said macroparasitic disease has affected more than
1.45 billion people across the globe and is considered to be a neglected tropical
disease. I believe that it is the right time to find an alternative wherein the treatment is
as effective as the synthetic drug but the side effects must be lesser and its coverage
must be broad. For me, the only ingredient that can meet these requirements is
choosing to utilize herbal constituents. I believe that herbal medicines are proven safer
and more effective if associated with further study about each possible antihelminthic
plant.

Before I read this article, my knowledge about helminthiasis and its treatment is
just basic. The disease affects human beings worldwide and its treatment is proven
effective to all helminthic infections and there are no problems in its side effects. Now, I
realized that further studies must be carried out to improve its treatment. I realized that
organic ingredients are far better than the synthetic drugs. Every antihelminthic plant
has the potential to be the new preventive and curative treatment against helminthiasis
if this journal is further studied and continued.

I have no experiences or know other experiences related to the use of herbal

medicines against helminthiasis because as of today, despite the severe side effects
that the drug could bring, affected people still use the synthetic drugs. The only
experience I can share is the use of herbal medicines in different medical problems
such as cough, muscle pain and anti-fungal treatment. Nevertheless, this IMCI
experience proved to me that herbal medicine is as effective as the synthetic drugs
used today and it has more advantages like it is cost effective and organic. Therefore,
this article gave a positive impact to me.

The article is significant to the nursing practice because it concerns a large

percentage of health providers especially nurses. As student nurses, we cannot
prescribe any pharmacological treatment for helminthiasis but we can share health
teachings about herbal medicine to patients if this article is already proven. It is also
imperative to our nursing education because in the IMCI and CHN rotation, it is
recommended to use herbal medicines especially when the patient lives in far-flung
areas. If the patient is affected by helminthiasis, then it would be easier for them to
respond because the medicines could possibly be just around them. For the nursing
research, this article is significant as well because it could help the future researchers to
carry out further studies about the identified anti-helminthic plants so that if proven
effective, it could be added to the herbal medicine preparations to be included in the
IMCI and CHN manual.