ISSN 2169-303X
International Journal of Medicinal Plants Research ISSN: 2169-303X Vol. 5 (4), pp. 221-227, April, 2016. © International Scholars Journals
Review
Potential target for exploring medicinal plants use of Bovine mastitis
Ronald Costal Alves1,2, Diego Luiz Duarte1,2, Thiago David2,3, Alberto Silvia1,2*
1Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências e Biotecnologia (PPBI), Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense
2LABiEMol and LMP (Laboratório de Metabolismo de Parasitos), Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Outeiro de São João Baptista, 24020-141, Niterói, RJ, Brazil.
3LaBioFar (Laboratório de Bioensaios Farmacêuticos), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
E-mail: [email protected]
Accepted 1 March, 2016
Abstract
Mastitis is a disease of significant economical importance that affects farming and is a limiting factor in the world agribusiness of dairy cattle. It causes a considerable economic loss in milk production as a result of mammary gland inflammation. On that matter, the infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus also present public health implications, considering that thermostable toxins produced by this bacterium may remain stable in milk. This bacterium specie stands out as the cause of the higher incidence of mastitis due to its high resistance to antibiotics as a result of the indiscriminate use of these therapeutic agents. In this context, the process of discovering new antimicrobial agents is extremely important in a stage of rapid development of bacterial resistance. Thus, medicinal plants may be explored as alternative agents for treatment of this important animal disease. This minireview intends to enlighten briefly this disease, its economical and medical features using Brazil, one of the top-ten biggest dairy producers, as an example of the mastitis economical importance to point it out as a target for further research on medicinal plants, exploring their potential as new therapeutic options for treating mastitis.
Key words: Bovine mastitis, antimicrobial, public health, medicinal plants.