# Nosemosis Prevention and Control
## 3 Control Methods
### Organic Control Methods
#### 3.2.1 Phytotherapeutics  
Other natural compounds have been tested with promising results in laboratory conditions. Among these are thymol showing a Nosema-inhibiting effect and thymol and resveratrol showing a positive impact in increasing bee longevity [67]. Herbal supplements (with or without C vitamin), have shown to reduce the \(N\). _ceranae_ infection levels in affected honey bee colonies enhancing their strength [68] and reducing the winter mortality [69]. Feeds containing _Brassica nigra_ and _Eruca sativa_, with different amounts of glucosinolates (GSLs), reduced the \(N\). _ceranae_ infection [70]. Additionally, _Agaricus blazei_ extract [71], _Andrographis paniculate_, Asteraceae (_Artemisia dubia_, _Aster scaber_, _Helianthus annuus_) and _Eleutherecococcus semicosus_ may have a positive effect against nosemosis [69]. Piperine (an alkaloid in the roots of the Piperaceae family) and curcumin (a natural phenol produced by _Curcuma longa_) are potential candidates regarding antinosemosis therapy too, being able to increase the activity of the antioxidant system in honey bees [69]. Another product derived from plants that have demonstrated activity against \(N\). _ceranae_ infection is propolisis. This product administrated to bees before or after the Nosema infection reduced significantly mortality, infectivity and infection rates [72]. The control of Nosema has also been focused on causing limitations to the gut cell invasion. That is the objective of the phyto-pharmacological preparation of Nozevit, a preparation that includes plant polyphenols, vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Histological studies showed that Nozevit induces the production of mucous from the epithelial layer of treated bees and provides an additional effect of coating the peritrophic membrane to form a firmer envelope that ensures protection from new invasions of Nosema spores [73]. Similar data had been previously observed in field experiments by the reduction of bee count spores [74] and by the reduction in the number of infected house and forager worker honey bees [52], although with lower efficacies than in the fumagillin control hives. Other tested products such as Nosestat (a.i. Iodine 4 g.--Formic Acid 5 g. in 100 mL. of product), Phenyl salicylate or Vitafeed Gold (extract of _Beta vulgaris_) gave good results, highly related with low consumption of the different doses by bees in field conditions [21]. Concerning the essential oils, [PERSON] [75] and [PERSON] [76] observed significant antiparasitic activity of _Laurus nobilis_ alcoholic extract, similarly, and found that different extracts of the same plant inhibited _N. ceranae_ spore development, having the best results with ethanol extracts. More recently, _Origanum vulgare_ and _Rosmarinus officinalis_ alcoholic extracts (0.7% g/g, volatile oils) reduced the number of spores after three consecutive treatments without being related with bee mortality [77]. [PERSON] [78] found the essential oils of _Cryptocarya alba_ to be effective in controlling _N. ceranae_ development in vitro. Bacteria and Their Metabolite  
_Acetobacteraceae_ are able to suppress the development of _N. ceranae_ reducing the spore load [69]. [PERSON] [79] obtained good results with a bacterial metabolite and, specifically, surfactin, both in reduction of infectivity and in parasitosis development. [PERSON] [80] evaluated the effects of organic acids produced by _Lactobacillus johnsonii_ CRL1647 (lactic acid, phenyl-lactic acid and acetic acid). A reduction on _Nosema_ intensity was observed after two treatments, as well as the enhancement of fumagillin efficiency. No toxic effects were found in vitro, observing an increase of the beehive population and in the size of fat bodies in the bees. It is a clear example of the possibilities of natural new molecules on Nosema control. [PERSON] [81] tested the use of oxalic acid to control _N. ceranae_ both in laboratory and in field conditions.