Efficacy of black seed oil from Nigella sativa against murine infection with cysts of Me49 strain of toxoplasma gondii

New therapies for toxoplasmosis are critically needed. Nigella sativa, commonly known as black seed or black cumin, has been known to include many medicinal properties. It has anti-inflammatory, and immuno-potentiating effects, antihelminthic and antiprotozoal activities. To study the effect of black seed oil [BSO] from Nigella sativa against Toxoplasma gondii Me49 strain in a murine model of infection. Two separate studies were performed, in which mice were orally inoculated with 10 or 20 T. gondii [Me49 strain] brain cysts. In each study, three groups of mice [35 each] were assigned to treatment with BSO for 2 weeks before T. gondii infection [BSO prophylactic], day 4 post infection [BSO therapeutic], or left untreated [infected untreated control]. The BSO effect on toxoplasmosis was evaluated by the assessment of [1] survival rate and brain cyst burden, [2] brain histopathological lesions and [3] immunohistochemical expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase [iNOS]. In infection induced by inoculation of 10, but not 20, cysts/mouse of the Me49 strain, BSO in prophylactic or therapeutic regimens significantly enhanced protection of infected mice against death [P = 0.01] and reduced brain cyst burdens at 5, 7 and 12 weeks post infection [PI] [P < 0.05] compared to the infected untreated control. The brains of BSO prophylactic or therapeutic groups showed milder meningitis, encephalitis and perivascular cuffing compared to the infected untreated control [P < 0.05]. Moreover, expression of iNOS was significantly enhanced in both BSO prophylactic and therapeutic groups compared to the untreated infected control. The BSO prophylactic group showed a significant enhanced expression of iNOS, selective to the brain endothelial cells, in the 1st week PI. Infection with 20 cysts was more aggressive, resulting in death of all untreated mice by day 35, and 26.7% and 20% protection respectively in BSO prophylactic and therapeutic groups. The estimated probabilities of survival were not significantly different among the 3 groups [P = 0.112]. BSO showed promising prophylactic and therapeutic effects on murine toxoplasmosis

Antiparasitic activity of cystine protease inhibitor E-64 against giardia lamblia excystation in vitro and in vivo

In this work, the therapeutic effect of E-64, a broad spectrum cysteine protease inhibitor against Giardia lamblia excystation was studied in vitro and in vivo. Purification of cysts from heavily infected human faecal samples followed by excystation and axenic cultivation of the emerging trophozoites in TYI-S-33 medium were done. In vivo, the response was evaluated experimentally through counting oocysts out-put every other day until the infection eradicated from the stools of infected E-64 treated mice compared to untreated. Also, the histopathological examination of the small intestine was compared between both of the infected groups. In the present study G. lamblia cysts incubated with E 64 in vitro completely failed in excystation in 90% while trophozoites released on 10% [partially excysted on 5% and completely excysted on 5%] compared to 90% completely excysted on other non incubated [without E-64] of cysts beside, the trophozoites didn't release on 10% [partially excysted on 5% and completely non-excysted on 5%]. In vivo, the evaluation of the therapeutic response proved that the decreasing in the oocysts out-put counting every other day until the infection eradicated from the stools of infected treated mice was very marked in comparison to untreated mice. The differences were statistically significant. The histopathological examination of the small intestine of infected non treated group proved that all the different pathological grades were found while in infected E-64 treated group, only grade I was detected. So, E-64 showed a good therapeutic effect which raises its use in the treatment of human giardiasis

Infectivity of trichomonas vaginalis pseudocysts inoculated intra-vaginally in mice

In addition to the trophozoite, pseudocyst is another morphological form which is recently identified among genitourinary trichomonads. Although, this pseudocyst is competent to divide, its role in Trichomonas life cycle has not yet been confirmed. In this study the ability of intra-vaginally inoculated T. vaginalis pseudocysts to induce trichomoniasis in infected mice was evaluated in comparison to the trophozoites. Pseudocysts formation was induced by using thermal-freezing cycle method. The infectivity of the pseudocysts was proved by the presence of T. vaginalis parasite in mice's vaginal washes inoculated in vitro. SEM proved that the pseudocysts withstood on vaginal tissue for 72 hours post infection without any morphological changes. Although the histopathological studies using H and E, PAS and cathepsin D stain proved that there were no differences could be found between trophozoites and pseudocysts in onset of infection, but the pseudocyst had higher infectivity and invasive effects than the trophozoite. So, T. vaginalis pseudocyst is an active form that can induce trichomoniasis

Hepatitis C virus infection in B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients

To determine the prevalence of HCV infection in patients with non Hodgkin's lymphoma in Assiut University Hospital and Cancer Institute of South Egypt. Eighty unselected patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were tested for the presence of Hepatitis C virus antibodies using Elisa immunoabsorbant assay. Two control groups were utilized for comparison; the first is a cohort of patients with non-haematological neoplasms; and the 2[nd] is a group of healthy blood donors. Patients with previous history of blood transfusion or liver disease were excluded from the study. Thirty-eight of the 80 B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients [47%] tested positive for Hepatitis C virus antibodies. About 24 out of 100 [24%] and 22 out of 80 [27.5%] patients tested positive for hepatitis C virus antibodies in the first and 2nd control groups. The results of this study indicate a higher prevalence of Hepatitis C virus infection in Assiut patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma than in the control groups. The prevalence of Hepatitis C virus infection in the 2 control groups, in turn, seems to fall within the estimated high prevalence in the general population of our country

N-acetyl-beta-d glucosaminadase and retinol-binding protein versus albuminuria in insulin dependent diabetic children.

Markers of tubular dysfunction [N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase and retinol binding protein], markers of glomerular dysfunction [glomerular filtration rate, urinary albumin excretion, blood urea and serum creatinine]and blood pressure were estimated in 32 insulin dependent diabetic children [IDDM] [16 males and 16 females] aged from 7 to 15 years, who had negative reagent strip test for proteinuria and in 10 age and sex matched healthy control children [6 males and 4 females]. Ultrasonography of the kidneys and fundus examination for the detection of retinopathy were done for all cases. The results indicated that tubular dysfunction, as evidenced by RBP and NAG, is more sensitive and precedes glomerular dysfunction in insulin dependent diabetics. However, RBP is a convenient, more sensitive, specific and early diagnostic tool for the detection of tubular affection than NAC. Albuminuria and increased GFR are early markers of glomerular dysfunction preceding the elevations of blood urea and serum creatinine. A reduction in hyperfiltration or GFR with increased albumin excretion is a marker of progression of renal disease. Hypertension is a feature of diabetic nephropathy after the appearance of microalbuminuria. However, the role of dietary modification programs and blood pressure control in normalization of kidney function in IDDP remains to be evaluated