A Systematic Review of the Traditional uses of Philippine Anthelmintic Medicinal Plants

Abstract

Helminths are human infectious agents causing malnutrition, anemia, growth retardation, and reduced mental development. Despite the ongoing mass drug administration (MDA) programs in the country, the Philippines ranks among the developing nations with the highest rates of parasitic infection cases. Studies demonstrate that the MDA's failure to achieve its goals results from non-compliance stemming from skepticism and worry about the potential side effects of the drugs, which leads people to prefer using medicinal plants as treatments. Fortunately, the Philippines has a high diversity of plant species that have medicinal properties to treat parasitic infections. Several studies have documented these anthelmintic plants however, synthesized information is not available. In this study, a systematic review of published and unpublished articles on anthelmintic plants has identified 32 Philippine medicinal anthelmintic plant species of which Quisqualis indica L. (n = 5), Ananas comosus (L.) Merr. (n = 4), Areca catechu L. (n = 4), and Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit (n = 4) were the most cited anthelmintic plants. Furthermore, knowledge of anthelmintic plants came largely from indigenous groups (41.7%) and local people (41.7%) and was primarily documented from Caraga and Eastern Visayas. The medicinal recipes utilized plants' leaves, fruits, roots, and seeds most frequently. Moreover, they mainly were prepared as decoctions and most commonly administered by ingestion. The systematic review of Philippine medicinal plants can be used as a foundation for anthelmintic drug development and research, as well as initiating the necessary awareness of preserving traditional medicinal knowledge.