Parasitic infections are a major public health concern affecting millions of people universally. This review elaborates on the potential impacts of plants and their bioactive components that have been widely used in the cure of several parasitic infections of poultry. The medicinal importance of natural herbs depends upon their bioactive ingredients, which are originated from crude plants, consequently leading to the specific action on the body. Due to the limited availability of effective drugs and high cost, the development of drug resistance in several harmful parasites and microbes leads to huge economic losses in the poultry industry. This will impose the development of innovative sources for drugs to overwhelm the therapeutic failure. Moreover, the environment-friendly feed additives which can be applied as a substitute to antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) for broilers were proven. The application of natural products with therapeutic characteristics is an ancient practice that is appropriately gaining more acceptance. Globally, it is assessed that some 20,000 species of higher plants are used medicinally, although traditional medicine has a scarcity of knowledge on its efficiency and wellbeing. This review explores the usage of medicinal herbs for parasitic infections, emphasizing the recent knowledge available while detecting the research gaps which may be explored to find the usage of herbal medicines for parasitic infections in poultry. In conclusion, herbal medicines are the effective source of prime components for drug detection and the formation of phytopharmaceuticals in the control of devastating parasitic infections. There is a prerequisite to applying the traditional medicine information in clinical applications via value addition.

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic T cell-mediated inflammatory condition affecting a considerable proportion of psoriasis (PSO) patients and a small segment of the general population. Recent studies have shown that patients with PsA are prone to premature atherosclerosis and are at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events, but the extent and prevalence of this are unknown. Our objective was to evaluate the prevalence and extent of subclinical atherosclerosis by measuring the intima-media thickness (IMT) of arteries in adult patients with PsA, as well as identify cardiovascular (CV) risk factors associated with PsA. An extensive literature search was conducted using PubMed as our main database. The articles exploring the association between PsA and subclinical atherosclerosis were included. We also searched other databases like MEDLINE and PubMed Central (PMC). A total of 2,561 studies published between 2005-2021 were obtained by searching the databases, and after the screening process, a total of nine studies were included for review and an additional 22 studies for comparison and backup evidence. As for results, our review included a total of 542 patients with PsA from nine different studies. All the reviewed studies showed a significant association between subclinical atherosclerosis and PsA, as endothelial functions were found to be impaired in PsA patients as deduced by measuring the carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT). PsA patients exhibited greater IMT than healthy controls. Increased IMT independently correlated with parameters of disease activity and conventional risk factors of atherosclerosis. An increased prevalence of CV risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome was also found in PsA patients.

Steatorrhea-induced calcium malabsorption seems to be the most likely cause of rickets in this entity.

A 6-month-old male infant, born at term to consanguineous parents after an uneventful pregnancy, had been passing since birth 8 to 10 daily stools, soft or liquid, yellowish, frothy, without blood or mucous. He was initially breast-fed and was later supplemented by formula feeds. No improvement resulted from several changes in formula, including soya bean products, and weight gain was very poor. At the age of 3 months, he was treated for iron de®ciency anemia (Hb 9 g/dl, MCV 73.3¯, RDW 24.4, microcytosis and acanthocytosis). Bowing of the tibias at 4 months of age led to the diagnosis of rickets for which he received vitamin D therapy. He had a healthy sibling. On examination, the child was marasmic, pale,with a marked rosary rickets at the costochondral junction and minimal scrotal oedema. Weight was 4.5 kg, height 64 cm, head circumference 39.5 cm, temperature 37.2°C, respiratory rate 35/min, pulse 150/min, blood pressure 90/ 65 mmHg. The rest of the examination was unremarkable. Stools were negative for reducing substances, bacteria and parasites, pH was 6.0, fat content was 5 g/24 h (over 50% of total solids). Urinalysis and culture were normal. Haemoglobin was 11.3 g/dl, MCV 61.5¯, RDW 21, leucocytes 22.1´10 9 /l, 20% neutrophils, 80% lymphocytes, platelets 655´10 9 /l, with microcytosis, polychromasia and acanthocytosis. Serum immunoglobulin levels, electrolytes, creatinine, glucose, calcium, magnesium, bilirubin, trans-aminases, thyrotropin and blood urea nitrogen were normal for age. Serum alkaline phosphatase level was 781 U/l, prothromin time 15.6 s (control 12 s), cholesterol 24 mg/dl, triglycerides 9 mg/dl, zinc 75 lg/dl, vitamin E 0.8 mg/dl (normal 3±9 mg/ dl), b-carotene 5 lg/dl (normal 10± 85 lg/dl), vitamin A 30 lg/dl (normal 30±80 lg/dl), 25 OH vitamin D2 was <1 ng/ml (normal 14±60 ng/ml) and 25 OH vitamin D3 16 pg/ml (normal 25±45 pg/ml). Capillary blood gases revealed a pH of 7.36, pCO 2 28 mmHg, base de®cit A8.