ABSTRACT
Trichinella spiralis (T. spiralis) is a prevalent foodborne intestinal parasite in many developing countries. Albendazole (ABZ) is the drug of choice for treating trichinosis despite its several drawbacks as its week effect against encapsulated larvae, low bioavailability, and emerging drug resistance. As a result, new anthelmintic agents are required. This study aims to investigate the in vivo and in vitro effects of Punica granatum peels extract (PGPE) on intestinal and muscle phases of T. spiralis. The adult worms and larvae were isolated and cultured with different concentrations of PGPE ranging from 6.75 to 100 µg/ml and measuring the survival rate was done after 1, 3, 18, 24 and 48 h of incubation, followed by scanning electron microscopic (SEM) examination of isolated parasites. For the in vivo experiment, the infected animals were divided into two main groups: intestinal phase group and muscular phase group, each group was subdivided into; infected not treated, infected treated with PGPE, ABZ and combined PGPE and ABZ (6 mice in each). The drug effect was assessed by adults and larvae load. A significant increase in the percentage of dead adult parasite and muscle larvae cultured with PGPE with severe destruction and deformity of the tegument were observed with SEM. Also, a significant reduction of adult parasite number in the intestine and muscle larva number in the diaphragm of infected treated mice in comparison to the control group. This study proved that PGPE has a potential activity against trichinosis, particularly when combined with ABZ, and this could serve as a new agent in trichinosis therapy.
ABSTRACT
Trapped Schistosoma mansoni eggs trigger fibrotic liver disease that can continue to liver cirrhosis and failure. This work evaluates the outcome of platelet rich plasma (PRP) on S. mansoni-induced liver fibrosis by intraperitoneal (IP) and intrahepatic (IH) routes with/without Praziquantel (PZQ) treatment. Swiss albino mice (n = 162) were divided into non-infected (n = 66) and infected (n = 96) groups, then subdivided into non-treated and treated subgroups with PRP(IP), PRP(IH) 6th and 10th weeks post-infection, PZQ, PZQ + PRP(IP) and PZQ + PRP(IH) 6th and 10th weeks post-infection. Effects of treatments were evaluated by parasitological, histopathological and Immunohistochemical assessments. In the early assessment (12th week post-infection) of infected-treated groups, the mean granuloma number showed significant reduction in groups treated with PZQ + PRP (IH) 10th week, PRP (IP), PZQ + PRP (IP) and PZQ + PRP (IH) 6th week (33.33%, 33%, 27.77% and 27.22%, respectively). Furthermore, the mean granuloma diameter showed significant reduction in groups treated with PRP (IH) 10th week and PZQ + PRP (IP) (24.17% and 15.5%, respectively). Also, the fibrotic index showed significant reduction in groups treated with PZQ + PRP (IP), PRP (IP) and PZQ + PRP (IH) 6th week (48.18%, 46.81% and 41.36%, respectively). Transforming growth factor ß1(TGF-ß1) expression was in correlation with parasitological and histopathological results. Diminished TGF-ß1 expression was mostly in infected groups treated with PZQ + PRP (IP), PZQ + PRP (IH) 6th week and PRP (IP) (88.63%, 88.63% and 77.27%, respectively). In the late assessment (14th week post-infection) of infected treated groups, TGF-ß1expression was reduced in groups treated with PZQ, PRP (IH) 10th weeks, PRP (IP) (83.33%, 66.66%, 33.33% respectively). PRP showed promising anti-fibrotic effects on S. mansoni-induced liver fibrosis.
ABSTRACT
Increasing prevalence of Cryptosporidium raises the importance to explore different aspects of its infection. In the absence of reproducible in vitro culturing, animal model is the only experimental method to study Cryptosporidium. Our study evaluated Cryptosporidium infection using coproscopy, copro-antigen and copro-DNA for early detection of murine cryptosporidiosis. Hundred and forty albino mice (neonates and adult) were divided into two groups, control group received sterile PBS solution, and infected groups were inoculated with molecularly characterized Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts and further subdivided into three subgroups for infectious dose response detection. Mice fecal samples were collected every 4 h on the first day and then daily and examined for fecal oocysts, copro-antigen and copro-DNA. Four mice from each subgroup were killed at 12, 24 and 48 h post-infection (P-I), and their intestines were examined for cryptosporidial mucosal DNA. Cryptosporidium copro-antigen and copro-DNA were detected 4 and 8 h P-I in infected neonatal and adult mice, respectively, and intestinal mucosal DNA was detected after 12 h in both. Microscopy was able to detect oocysts 48 h P-I. Inoculated C. parvum oocysts were recovered in feces of infected mice without genotypic changes. Neonate mice showed higher susceptibility for cryptosporidial infection than adults without statistical differences for the given infectious doses. Both copro-immunoassay and copro-nPCR assays can early detect Cryptosporidium infection; however, nPCR was able to identify Cryptosporidium species, making nPCR a reliable biomarker for early detection in murine model.
