ABSTRACT
Background and Aim: Angiostrongylus eosinophilic meningitis is caused by larvae of the rat lungworm Angiostrongylus cantonensis. It manifests as meningitis, radiculitis, cranial nerve abnormalities, and encephalitis, which can be fatal. A flavan-3-ol compound isolated from the bark of Calophyllum macrophyllum Scheff. has several medicinal properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and antibacterial activities. This compound is stronger than other types of flavan-3-ols such as catechin. This study aimed to identify the hydroxylation pattern of this flavan-3-ol compound and evaluated its potential as an anti-meningitis drug, using an in silico approach through pharmacophore and molecular docking methods. Materials and Methods: Pharmacokinetic and toxicological data were analyzed and supported by the server http://www.swissadme.ch/index.php and https://tox-new.charite.de/protox_II/index.php. The hydroxylation pattern of the flavan-3-ol compound was identified using shear reagents (MeOH, NaOH, NaOAc, HCl, and AlCl3). The CviR receptor (pdb id.3QP5) was used in the in silico approach, and seven ligands were downloaded from PubChem in "SMILES" format. Results: The spectroscopic analysis conducted using the shear reagents confirmed that the flavan-3-ol compound has a "p-diOH" pattern on the cinnamoyl ring. Pharmacophore analysis revealed this compound "hit" with pharmacophore features, and molecular docking analysis showed that this compound has a strong affinity with both receptors. Conclusion: The flavan-3-ol compound is a potential drug candidate for meningitis caused by pathogenic bacteria and the worm A. cantonensis. This result was supported by the pharmacokinetic profile, which had a very low toxicity level to the host. However, further investigation is required to confirm the data in vitro and in vivo.
ABSTRACT
AIM: The objective of this research was to in vitro evaluate the cuticular surface damage of Ascaridia galli adult worms treated with ethanolic extract of betel nuts Veitchia merrillii. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Phytochemical screening was done using FeCl3, Wagner and Dragendorff reagents, NaOH, MgHCl, and Liebermann-Burchard reaction test. Amount of 16 worms were segregated into four groups with three replicates. Four worms of each group submerged into phosphate buffered saline, 25 mg/ml, and 75 mg/ml crude ethanolic extract of V. merrillii, and 15 mg/ml albendazole. The effect of these extract was observed 40 h after incubation as soon as worms death. The worms were sectioned transversally and were explored for any cuticular histopathological changes in their body surface under microscope. RESULTS: We found that the ethanolic extract of V. merrillii betel nuts contains tannins, alkaloids, flavonoids, triterpenoids, and saponins. The ethanolic extract of betel nuts V. merrillii induces surface alterations caused cuticular damage of A. galli adult worms. CONCLUSION: We concluded that ethanolic extract of betel nuts V. merrillii possess anthelmintic activity caused cuticular damage of A. galli adult worms.
