Assessment of the prophylactic and therapeutic effects of curcumin nanoemulsion in comparison with Spiramycin in mice simulating acute infection with T. gondii (RH strain) | ||||
| Parasitologists United Journal | ||||
| Article 3, Volume 15, Issue 2, August 2022, Page 154-161 PDF (637.13 K) | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/puj.2022.138041.1166 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Authors | ||||
Eman Rageh; Sherif M Abaza; Eman El-Gayar; Maha Alabbassy 
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| Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Background: Currently, there is no effective adjunct to therapeutic drugs against acute toxoplasmosis. Curcumin (CUR) is one of the most promising naturally occurring agents with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-carcinogenic activity. It is hypothesized that improvement of CUR properties utilizing nanotechnology may be beneficial in enhancing its therapeutic effects. Objective: To evaluate the prophylactic immunostimulatory and therapeutic effects of CUR nanoemulsion in acute toxoplasmosis in experimentally infected mice. Material and Methods: A case-control experimental study was conducted including 45 Albino mice. Mice were divided into a control negative uninfected group I (5 mice) and experimental group II (40 mice) infected with the virulent RH strain to simulate acute toxoplasmosis. Group II was subdivided into four subgroups (10 mice each); IIa (control positive, infected non-treated), IIb (infected and prophylactically pre-treated with CUR nanoemulsion), IIc (post-infection treated with CUR nanoemulsion), and IId (postinfection treated with Spiramycin). The assessment parameters included estimation of the mortality rate, and parasite burden in impression smears from peritoneal fluids, livers, and spleens. Alterations in the tachyzoites morphological features among study groups were recorded using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results: The mortality rate was relatively high (40%) by the 6th day in the infected non-treated subgroup (IIa); with no mortality recorded in all treated experimental subgroups. The prophylactic CUR nanoemulsion pre-treated subgroup (IIb) had the highest percentage of tachyzoites reduction in the peritoneal fluids (78.13%), and in the livers and spleens impression smears (both 88.89%). In the two treated subgroups (IIc and IId), the recorded reduction percentages were 71.88%, 75%, respectively for peritoneal fluids; 81.48% for livers in both subgroups; and 85.42%, 84.73%, respectively for spleen impression smears. Examination of the peritoneal exudates using SEM showed deformed tachyzoites in all the treated subgroups. Conclusion: Our results indicate that CUR nanoemulsion is as effective as Spiramycin and has a promising medicinal effect on acute toxoplasmosis. Therefore, it may be used as an adjuvant to specific treatment with Spiramycin. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| curcumin; experimental study; nanoemulsion; prophylaxis; tachyzoites; toxoplasmosis | ||||
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