The potential of plant and fungal proteins in the control of gastrointestinal nematodes from animals

Abstract

Gastrointestinal nematode infection is an important cause of high economic losses in livestock production. Nematode control based on a synthetic chemical approach is considered unsustainable due to the increasing incidence of anthelmintic resistance. Control alternatives such as the use of natural products are therefore becoming relevant from an environmental and economic point of view. Proteins are macromolecules with various properties that can be obtained from a wide range of organisms, including plants and fungi. Proteins belonging to different classes have shown great potential for the control of nematodes. The action of proteins can occur at specific stages of the nematode life cycle, depending on the composition of the external layers of the nematode body and the active site of the protein. Advances in biotechnology have resulted in the emergence of numerous protein and peptide therapeutics; however, few have been discussed with a focus on the control of animal nematodes. Here, we discuss the use of exogenous proteins and peptides in the control of gastrointestinal.

Beneficial Properties of Bromelain

“…The growing resistance of nematodes to commercially available drugs demand the development of new, alternative treatment methods. Recently, an increase in interest in compounds of plant origin has been observed [88].…”

The Polypeptides/Proteins Exuded from Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Seeds Induce Ultrastructural and Biomechanical Modifications of the Caenorhabditis elegans Surface and Inhibit the Nematode Motility.

“…The experimental inhibition of the motility of adult C elegans observed herein, promoted by the McSEX, McSEX90%/80˚C, McSEX/30-10, and McSEX/10-2 fractions, may be a consequence of some deleterious effects that these products exerted on the animal, which could, eventually, influence survival [50]. Several proteins exuded from seeds, such as proteases, chitinases, and lectins may interfere with the general physiology of nematodes, for example [22,25,[51][52][53]. Nevertheless, our work shows that the M. caesalpiniifolia mature seed exudates and their constituent polypeptide/protein fractions presented anthelmintic potential (Table 1), as their concentrations to inhibit the motility of the exposed adult C. elegans by 50% were lower than those reported by other studies [25,54,55].…”

Low-Molecular-Weight Secondary Metabolites from Fungi: Cerrena unicolor as a New Proposal of an Effective Preparation against Rhabditis Nematodes

“…The antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, or antitumor effects of plant and fungal substances are widely known. Many of them are also used to treat human and animal gastrointestinal diseases caused by parasites [ 1 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ].…”

“…Many active substances have also been isolated from wood degrading mushroom species. One of the efficient sources of multiple bioactive compounds is the white rot fungus C. unicolor ( Table 1 ) [ 12 , 15 , 24 ]. During their growth, white rot fungi produce large amounts of side products during the synthesis of enzymes, for instance, laccase, in the liquid culture medium.…”