Table 6.

Metal-based nanoparticles for the treatment of parasitic infections.

Nanoparticles	Infection	Therapeutic Outcome	References
Silver nanoparticles	Malaria	Inhibition of the growth of P. falciparum in vivo and in vitro	[216,217,218,219]
Metal oxide nanoparticles (Fe3O4, MgO, ZrO2, Al2O3 and CeO2)	Malaria	Good to moderate antiplasmodial activity against P. falciparum	[220]
Gold nanoparticles	Malaria	Moderate delayed parasitemia rise in vivo, moderate antiplasmodial activity against P. falciparum	[221,222]
Silver nanoparticles	Leishmaniasis	Inhibition of proliferation and metabolic activity of promastigotes. Good antileishmanial activity in vitro and in vivo	[223,224,225,226,227,228,229]
Kaempferol-stabilized gold nanoparticles	Leishmaniasis	Effective against both wild and drug resistant strains	[230,231]
Metal-oxide nanoparticles (titanium dioxide nanoparticles, zinc oxide nanoparticles and magnesium oxide nanoparticles)	Leishmaniasis	Enhanced cytotoxic effects on promastigotes of L. major via induction of apoptosis	[232,233]
Silver nanoparticles	Helminth infections	Enhanced anthelmintic activity against worm	[234,235,236,237]
Gold nanoparticles	Helminth infections	Affected the physiological functioning of the parasite causing paralysis and subsequent death	[238]
Zinc oxide nanoparticles	Helminth infection	Disruption of the electron transport system inhibiting ATP production and the contractile movement of the parasite	[239]
Zinc oxide and iron oxide nanoparticles	Helminth infection	The anthelmintic activity of the metal oxides nanoparticles was via induction of oxidative stress	[240]