Scientific justification of anthelmintic medicines based on medicinal plant material

Abstract

Introduction: The problem of helminthiases is particularly relevant in the recent years as this group of diseases is met in all countries of the world. Ukraine also faces the increasing number of digestive system helminthiases, especially in children aged under 12 years. However, the existing range of anthelmintic medicines in Ukrainian pharmaceutical market is represented with derivatives of praziquantel, mebendazole, albendazole, piperazine, pyrantel, levamisole, and one herbal medicine - tansy flowers. Medicines of synthetic origin have diverse side effects (nausea, vomiting, pain in epigastria, diarrhea, allergy, dizziness, headache, etc.,) and, therefore, can cause a low compliance of the patient. A good alternative to the use of synthetic medicines is phytotherapy, which is based on the centuries-old experience of folk medicine. Materials and Methods: As the objects of research, there were analyzed the most common prescriptions of helminthiases phytotherapy in adults and children which are used in Ukraine, including folk anthelmintic remedies. Analysis of the possible pharmacological activity was performed with the use of power analysis and sample size (PASS)-analysis (http://www.way2drug.com). Results: Research of the existing range of phytomedicines with anthelmintic activity and the most commonly used remedies of folk medicine allowed to identify medicinal plants with high potential anthelmintic activity. Conclusion: The further study of their main biologically active substance with the use of PASS-analysis showed that tansy flowers, wormwood herb, wormseed flowers, elecampane rhizomes and roots, pumpkin seeds, buckthorn bark, valerian rhizomes and roots, and chamomile flowers should be considered promising medicinal plant material for development new anthelmintic medicines with narrow and broad spectrum of action with minimal toxicity.