Therapeutic effect of nigella sativa and ivermectin versus albendazole on experimental trichinellosis in mice

Anthelminthics are used for trichinellosis elimination in intestine and encysted larvae in muscles. This study evaluated the effects of Nigella sativa, ivermectin versus albendazole on experimental trichinellosis. One hundred and twenty mice were orally infected with 200 larvae of T. spiralis/ mouse. Drugs were tested against mature worms in the small intestine at 7 days post infection [dpi] and encysted larvae at 35 dpi. Parasitological assessment by counting of adult worms and encysted larvae was done as well as histopathologically. Biochemical measuring of serum aspartate aminotransferase [AST], alanine aminotransferase [ALT], total protein, albumin, globulin, and urea, creatinine and creatinine phosphokinase [CPK] values was done. High significant reductions in mean adult count was detected in N. sativa prophylactic, ivermectin and albendazole treated mice with efficacies of 45.9%, 97.4% and 83.6% respectively with mild significant reduction in N. sativa treated mice with percent reduction 26.5%. At 35 dpi, there was high significant reduction in mean larval count as compared to the control infected mice with reduction of 43.7%, 65.3%, 99.4% and 80% in N. sativa prophylactic, N. sativa treated, ivermectin and albendazole respectively. Reduction of AST, ALT, urea, creatinine and CPK levels but total proteins increased in all treated mice compared to corresponding infected non-treated ones. Ivermectin gave the best results and continued for treating T. spiralis

Ultrastructural and muscular modifications of adult schistosoma mansoni worms induced by artemether [ART] in vitro

Schistosomiasis is one of the most important public health problems worldwide. In spite of two decades of safe and effective widespread chemotherapy with praziquantel, the number of individuals with schistosomiasis remains high with the appearance of drug resistance. So, it diverts the attention to other anti-parasitic drugs like artemesinin derivatives e.g. artemether [ART]. This study was done to assess the effects of ART on the tegument and musculature of adult Schistosoma mansoni worms in vitro. Five groups of S. mansoni coupled adult worms, each of 10 couples, were used. Four groups were tested in vitro using different concentrations of ART [20, 40, 80 and 100microg/ml] for 24 hours of exposure. These adult worms were obtained by hepatic perfusion technique seven weeks postinfection by 100+/-10 S. mansoni cercariae in male white albino mice using tail immersion method. Ultrastructural and muscular modifications of adult S. mansoni worms were assessed using Scanning Electron Microscopy [SEM] and a special device respectively. SEM examination revealed that after 24 hours of exposure to 40microg/ml ART, the tegument showed vesicles and loss of spines. On exposure to 80microg/ml ART, the tegument showed cracking and more loss of spines. After exposure to 100microg/ml ART, tegument appeared mostly distorted with cracking, peeling, bleb formation and the spines covering the tubercles appeared to be partially lost. ART elicited muscle contraction and reached the highest response with 100microg/ml ART. The maximal increase in muscle tension [% shortening of worms] was 44.1 +/- 1.79 % shortening induced by the highest concentration [100microg/ml] of ART