Natural products to reduce internal parasites in ruminants

Natural products are compounds derived from animal, plant, insect, bacterial and marine sources. Such products had been used since prehistoric times for the treatment of a range of diseases and illnesses and their popularity and use increased until the late 1800s, at which time the development of synthetic pharmaceutical agents began. The medical fraternity quickly moved towards the use of these now conventional agents disregarding natural products as old fashioned. Originally natural products where used in whole form and the pharmacological agents responsible for their activity was not normally recognised. The recent resurgence by the general population in the use of natural products for self-medication has pushed these products into the limelight – in 2005, total sales for natural products in the USA were estimated at $257.5 billion. The study of natural products is an active area of pharmacological and pharmaceutical research with efforts being made to identify active components and develop effective medicinal agents. This book highlights the current research in natural products derived from a variety of sources in the prevention and treatment of diseases in both human and animal populations.