Review Article
Volume 8 Issue 1
Christina Rahm*
July 21, 2026
DOI : 10.56831/PSSRP-08-280
Abstract
This white paper explores natural and integrative strategies for managing parasitic infections, which affect billions of people worldwide and remain a major global health challenge. While conventional antiparasitic drugs are essential, their effectiveness is increasingly limited by drug resistance, toxicity, incomplete parasite eradication, reinfection, and poor patient tolerance. These challenges highlight the need for adjunctive and complementary approaches that are safer, broader-acting, and more sustainable.
The paper focuses on bioactive natural compounds particularly curcumin, resveratrol, and vitamin C that demonstrate direct antiparasitic activity, along with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immune-modulating effects. These compounds may enhance host defense, reduce parasite burden, and improve tolerance to pharmaceutical therapies.
Parasitic infections represent a significant and often underrecognized global health burden, affecting billions of individuals worldwide and contributing to substantial morbidity and mortality, particularly in vulnerable and resource-limited populations. These infections can impair immune function, disrupt gastrointestinal and metabolic health, and exacerbate chronic disease states, placing long-term strain on both individuals and healthcare systems. While conventional pharmaceutical antiparasitic therapies remain a cornerstone of treatment, their effectiveness is increasingly challenged by factors such as drug resistance, limited efficacy across parasite species, adverse side effects, and concerns related to overuse and misuse.
In response to these limitations, a growing body of scientific literature has begun to explore the role of naturally derived compounds as complementary or alternative strategies for parasite management. Bioactive plant compounds and micronutrients have demonstrated antiparasitic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties that may enhance host defense mechanisms while reducing treatment-related burden. This white paper examines the current scientific evidence supporting natural antiparasitic interventions, with specific focus on curcumin, resveratrol, and vitamin C. Emphasis is placed on their mechanisms of action, documented efficacy against parasitic organisms, and their potential role as adjunctive agents alongside conventional therapies, offering a more integrative and systems-based approach to parasite control.
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