Prevalence and genotype distribution of Enterobius vermicularis among kindergarteners in Shiraz and Khorramabad cities, Iran

Objective: To study the prevalence and genotype of Enterobius (E.) vermicularis from adhesive tape samples in the cities of Shiraz and Khorramabad, Iran. Methods: A total of 1 000 adhesive tape samples from kindergartens in Shiraz (500 samples) and Khorramabad (500 samples) were collected and tested using a microscope to find E. vermicularis egg/s. A questionnaire was filled out for each sample. In order to characterize the genotype of E. vermicularis, the PCR-sequencing method of the mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase subunit 1 (cox1) gene was used. Genomic DNA was extracted from the positive scotch tape samples of E. vermicularis. The cox1 gene was amplified by the polymerase chain reaction and sequenced. The sequence data were aligned using the BioEdit software and compared with the published sequences in GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis was performed using the maximum likelihood method. Results: The parasitological method showed that 15 out of the 500 samples from Shiraz (3.00%) and 12 out of the 500 samples from Khorramabad (2.40%) were infected with E. vermicularis eggs. BLAST analysis indicated that the sequenced isolates belonged to E. vermicularis genotype B while three different haplotypes were also identified. Conclusions: This is the first study on genotyping E. vermicularis in the cities of Shiraz and Khorramabad. Considering the public health importance of the disease, further studies are necessary to characterize the genotype of E. vermicularis in human populations from other regions of Iran.

Evaluation of the scolicidal effects of Nectaroscordum tripedale extract and its acute toxicity in mice model

Current scolicidal agents, which have been used for inactivation of protoscoleces during hydatid cyst surgery are associated with adverse side effects. This study aims to evaluate the in vitro scolicidal effects of Nectaroscordum tripedale L. leave extract against protoscoleces of hydatid cysts and its acute toxicity in mice model. Various concentrations of the extract [12.5-100 mg/mL] were used for 5 to 30 min. Viability of protoscoleces was confirmed using eosin exclusion test [0.1% eosin staining]. In addition, the acute toxicity of N. tripedale extract was determined for 2 days in mice model. The results showed that the N. tripedale extract at the concentration of 100 mg/mL after 5 min of exposure killed 100% protoscoleces. Similarly, the mean of mortality rate of protoscoleces after 10 min of exposure to concentration of 50 mg/mL was 100%. The LD50 values of intraperitoneal injection of the N. tripedale extract was 3.36 g/kg body wt. and the maximum nonfatal doses were 2.98 g/kg body wt. The results showed the potential of N. tripedale extract as a natural source for the production of new scolicidal agent for use in hydatid cyst surgery

Antileishmanial and Cytotoxic Effects of Essential Oil and Methanolic Extract of Myrtus communis L

Plants used for traditional medicine contain a wide range of substances that can be used to treat various diseases such as infectious diseases. The present study was designed to evaluate the antileishmanial effects of the essential oil and methanolic extract of Myrtus communis against Leishmania tropica on an in vitro model. Antileishmanial effects of essential oil and methanolic extract of M. communis on promastigote forms and their cytotoxic activities against J774 cells were evaluated using MTT assay for 72 hr. In addition, their leishmanicidal activity against amastigote forms was determined in a macrophage model, for 72 hr. Findings showed that the main components of essential oil were alpha-pinene (24.7%), 1,8-cineole (19.6%), and linalool (12.6%). Findings demonstrated that M. communis, particularly its essential oil, significantly (P<0.05) inhibited the growth rate of promastigote and amastigote forms of L. tropica based on a dose-dependent response. The IC50 values for essential oil and methanolic extract was 8.4 and 28.9 mug/ml against promastigotes, respectively. These values were 11.6 and 40.8 mug/ml against amastigote forms, respectively. Glucantime as control drug also revealed IC50 values of 88.3 and 44.6 mug/ml for promastigotes and amastigotes of L. tropica, respectively. The in vitro assay demonstrated no significant cytotoxicity in J774 cells. However, essential oil indicated a more cytotoxic effect as compared with the methanolic extract of M. communis. The findings of the present study demonstrated that M. communis might be a natural source for production of a new leishmanicidal agent.

Antileishmanial and Cytotoxic Effects of Essential Oil and Methanolic Extract of Myrtus communis L

Plants used for traditional medicine contain a wide range of substances that can be used to treat various diseases such as infectious diseases. The present study was designed to evaluate the antileishmanial effects of the essential oil and methanolic extract of Myrtus communis against Leishmania tropica on an in vitro model. Antileishmanial effects of essential oil and methanolic extract of M. communis on promastigote forms and their cytotoxic activities against J774 cells were evaluated using MTT assay for 72 hr. In addition, their leishmanicidal activity against amastigote forms was determined in a macrophage model, for 72 hr. Findings showed that the main components of essential oil were alpha-pinene (24.7%), 1,8-cineole (19.6%), and linalool (12.6%). Findings demonstrated that M. communis, particularly its essential oil, significantly (P<0.05) inhibited the growth rate of promastigote and amastigote forms of L. tropica based on a dose-dependent response. The IC50 values for essential oil and methanolic extract was 8.4 and 28.9 mug/ml against promastigotes, respectively. These values were 11.6 and 40.8 mug/ml against amastigote forms, respectively. Glucantime as control drug also revealed IC50 values of 88.3 and 44.6 mug/ml for promastigotes and amastigotes of L. tropica, respectively. The in vitro assay demonstrated no significant cytotoxicity in J774 cells. However, essential oil indicated a more cytotoxic effect as compared with the methanolic extract of M. communis. The findings of the present study demonstrated that M. communis might be a natural source for production of a new leishmanicidal agent.

In vitro study of leishmanicidal activity of biogenic selenium nanoparticles against Iranian isolate of sensitive and glucantime-resistant leishmania tropica

Sensitive and glucantime [MA] resistance Leishmania tropica are referred to those isolates, which are responsive, or non-responsive to one or two full courses of treatment by MA systematically and/or intra-lesionally, respectively. In this study, we evaluated the antileishmanial activity of biogenic selenium nanoparticles [Se NPs] alone and in combination with MA against sensitive and glucantimeresistant L. tropica on in vitro model. The Se NPs were synthesized by employing the Bacillus sp. MSh-1. The antileishmanial effects of Se NPs alone and in combination with MA on promastigote and amastigote stages of sensitive and glucantime-resistant L. tropica strains have been investigated using a colorimetric MTT assay and in a macrophage model. In addition hemolytic activity in type O+ human red blood cells and infectivity rate of the promastigotes before and after treatment with the Se NPs was evaluated. In the promastigote stage, various concentrations of Se NPs significantly inhibited [P<0.05] the growth of promastigotes of both strains in a dose-dependent manner. Similarly, Se NPs especially in combination with MA significantly reduced the mean number of amastigotes of both strains in each macrophage. Se NPs showed no hemolytic effect on human RBCs at low concentrations. Moreover, infection rate of macrophages by promastigotes significantly [P<0.05] was reduced when promastigotes pre-treated with Se NPs. The findings of this study suggest a first step in the search of Se NPs as a new antileishmanial agent. Further experiments are needed to investigate antileishmanial effects of biogenic Se NPs on L. tropica using a clinical setting

Protoscolecidal effect of berberis vulgaris root extract and Its main compound, berberine in cystic echinococcosis

Cystic echinococcosis [CE], a zoonotic parasitic infection caused by the metacestode [larvae] stage of dog tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus and recognized as a major economic and public health concern in the world. This study aimed to investigate the in vitro scolicidal effect of methanolic extract of Berberis vulgaris L. roots and its main compound, berberine against protoscoleces of hydatid cysts. For this purpose, protoscoleces were aseptically aspirated from sheep livers having hydatid cysts. Various concentrations of the methanolic extract [0.25- 2 mg/ml] and berberine [0.062- 0.5 mg/ml] were used for 5 to 30 min. Viability of protoscoleces was confirmed by eosin exclusive test. In the present study, all of the various concentrations of the B. vulgaris methanolic extract [0.25, 0.5, 1 and 2 mg/ml] and berberine [0.062, 0.125, 0.25 and 0.5 mg/ml] revealed significant [P<0.05] scolicidal effects against protoscoleces of E. granulosus in a dose-dependent manner. Both berberine and methanolic extract exhibited 100% inhibition against protoscoleces of E. granulosus at the concentration of 2.0 and 0.5 mg/ml after 10 min incubation respectively. According to the results, both B. vulgaris methanolic extract and berberine alone demonstrated high scolicidal activities against protoscoleces of hydatid cysts in low concentration and short exposure time on in vitro model. However, in vivo efficacy of B. vulgaris and berberine also requires to be evaluated using an animal model with hydatid infection

vitro inhibitory effect of berbcris vulgaris [berberidaceae] and its main component, berberine against different leishmania species

Leishmaniasis has been identified as a major public health problem in tropical and sub-tropical countries. The present study was aimed to investigate antileishmanial effects of various extracts of Berberis vulgaris also its active com-poenent, berberine against Ieishmania tropica and L infantum species on in vitro experiments..In this study in vitro antileishmanial activity of various extracts of B. vulgaris also its active compoenent, berberine against promastigote and amastigote stages of L. tropica and L. infantum was evaluated, using MTT assay and in a macro-phage model, respectively. Furthermore, infectivity rate and cytotoxicity effects of B. vulgaris and berberine in murine macrophage cells were investigated. The findings of optical density [OD] and IC[50] indicated that B. vulgaris particulary berberine significantly [P<0.05] inhibited the growth rate of promastigote stage of L.tropica and lL.infantum in comparison to meglumine antimoniate [MA]. In addition, B. vulgaris and berberine significantly [P<0.05] decreased the mean number of amastigotes in each macrophage as compared with positive control. In the evaluation of cytotoxicity effects, it could be observed that berberine as compared with B. vulgaris exhibited more cytotoxicity against murine macrophages. Results also showed that when parasites were pre-incubated with B. vulgaris their ability to infect murine macrophages was significantly decreased. Conclusion. B.vulgaris particularly berberine exhibited potent in vitro leishmanicid-al effects against L tropica and L.infantum. Further works are required to evaluate the antileishmanial effects of B. vulgaris on Leishmania species using clinical settings

Scolicidal Effects of Black Cumin Seed (Nigella sativa) Essential Oil on Hydatid Cysts

Surgery remains the preferred treatment for hydatid cyst (cystic echinococcosis, CE). Various scolicidal agents have been used for inactivation of protoscolices during surgery, but most of them are associated with adverse side effects. The present study aimed to evaluate the in vitro scolicidal effect of Nigella sativa (Ranunculaceae) essential oil and also its active principle, thymoquinone, against protoscolices of hydatid cysts. Protoscolices were aseptically aspirated from sheep livers having hydatid cysts. Various concentrations of the essential oil (0.01-10 mg/ml) and thymoquinone (0.125-1.0 mg/ml) were used for 5 to 60 min. Viability of protoscolices was confirmed by 0.1% eosin staining. Furthermore, the components of the N. sativa essential oil were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS). Our study revealed that the essential oil of N. sativa at the concentration of 10 mg/ml and its main component, thymoquinone, at the concentration of 1 mg/ml had potent scolicidal activities against protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus after 10 min exposure. Moreover, thymoquinone (42.4%), p-cymene (14.1%), carvacrol (10.3%), and longifolene (6.1%) were found to be the major components of N. sativa essential oil by GC/MS analysis. The results of this study indicated the potential of N. sativa as a natural source for production of a new scolicidal agent for use in hydatid cyst surgery. However, further studies will be needed to confirm these results by checking the essential oil and its active component in in vivo models.