ABSTRACT
Despite knowledge on the therapeutic properties of fungal bio-compounds, few studies have been reported on their anti-parasitic activities. The anti-parasitic activity (APA) of mycelial extracts from seven medicinal agaricomycetous mushrooms (Polyporus lipsiensis, Ganoderma applanatum, Pleurotus ostreatus, P. flabellatus, Oudemansiella canarii, Lentinula edodes, and Pycnoporus sanguineus) against Giardia duodenalis, and identification of chemical compounds produced by mycelium P. lipsiensis mycelium, have been reported. The extracts of mycelia and fermented culture broths of tested mushroom species were evaluated against G. duodenalis by biological assays. P. lipsiensis showed the highest APA. The chemical analysis of mycelial extract of P. lipsiensis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) identified 73 molecules, including steroids, terpenes, and lipids. According to literature data, among these molecules, 11 possess APA. The present study revealed the diversity of compounds with anti-protozoal potential produced by mycelia of Agaricomycetes mushrooms, particularly P. lipsiensis against G. duodenalis.
Subject(s)
Agaricales , Giardia lamblia , Pleurotus , Shiitake Mushrooms , Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry , Mycelium/chemistry , Pleurotus/chemistry , Shiitake Mushrooms/chemistryABSTRACT
Natural antiparasitic agents are used as a strategy for advances in the treatment of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), such as giardiasis. The present paper identified the compounds produced by Ganoderma lipsiense mycelium grown in submerged fermentation and investigated the antigiardial activity potential of extracts in vitro. G. lipsiense mycelium crude extract (CE) was obtained by the maceration process and after purification in column, thirty compounds were identified by gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS) in hexane sub-fraction (HSF). To determine the antigiardial potential, different parts of the purified CE have been evaluated, where hexane (HEXf) and dichloromethane (DCMf) fractions showed in vitro reduction levels higher than 90% of the Giardia duodenalis trophozoites at 100 µg mL-1. This antigiardial activity was investigated aiming to explore the possibility of G. lipsiense mycelium extract as a novel antigiardial compound to the treatment of human giardiasis.
Subject(s)
Ganoderma , Giardia lamblia , Fermentation , Humans , MyceliumABSTRACT
Regions with a tropical climate are frequently affected by endemic diseases caused by pathogenic parasites. More than one billion people worldwide are exposed directly to tropical parasites. The literature cites several antiparasitic metabolites obtained from medicinal plants or via synthetic pathways. However, fungi produce a diversity of metabolites that play important biological roles in human well-being. Thus, they are considered a potential source of novel natural agents for exploitation in the pharmaceutical industry. In this brief review article, we will provide an overview of the current situation regarding antiparasitic molecules derived from filamentous fungi, in particular, those which are effective against protozoan parasites, such as Plasmodium, Trypanosoma, and Leishmania, vectors of some neglected tropical diseases. Diseases and parasitic agents are described and classified, and the antiparasitic properties of natural compounds produced by the fungi of the phyla Basidiomycota and Ascomycota are reviewed herein, in order to explore a topic only sparsely addressed in the scientific literature.
Subject(s)
Antiparasitic Agents/chemistry , Ascomycota/chemistry , Basidiomycota/chemistry , Animals , Antiparasitic Agents/therapeutic use , Humans , Protozoan Infections/drug therapyABSTRACT
Este artigo descreve o primeiro relato de parasitismo por Bertiella mucronata (Cestoda-Anoplocephalidae) em primata não humano brasileiro, da subespécie Alouatta guariba clamitans (Cabrera, 1940) (Primates: Atelidae), no estado de Santa Catrina. Animais de ambiente natural, provindos de três municípios diferentes da região do Vale do Rio Itajaí-Açu, estavam parasitados. São também descritas a prevalência e a eliminação diária de proglotes nas fezes de 28 bugios ruivos cativos. Alerta-se para a possibilidade de ocorrer bertielose humana na região. Para evitar a introdução deste parasito em áreas indenes, a investigação desta parasitose deve ser realizada sempre em avaliações sanitárias de espécimes de bugios ruivos suscetíveis de serem submetidos a processos de translocação e reintrodução.
