In vitro and in vivo antileishmanial effects of Pistacia khinjuk against Leishmania tropica and Leishmania major

The present study aims to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo antileishmanial activities of Pistacia khinjuk Stocks (Anacardiaceae) alcoholic extract and to compare its efficacy with a reference drug, meglumine antimoniate (MA, Glucantime), against Leishmania tropica and Leishmania major. This extract (0–10

The effect of Ramadan fasting on lipid profile in pregnant women

Introduction: Abnormal lipid profile causes maternal mortality and impairs fetal development. This study investigated the effect of Ramadan fasting on plasma lipid profile in pregnant women. Material and Methods: This self-control, cohort study was performed in healthy volunteer fasted pregnant women. Serum cholesterol, triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein (LDL), high density lipoprotein (HDL), and body mass index (BMI) were measured on 0, 7th, 14th, and 28th days of Ramadan, and two weeks after Ramadan. Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS. Results: The mean age and BMI of participants was 26.9±6.4 year and 25±4.2 kg/m respectively. Weight and BMI of women did not change during the study. Cholesterol and LDL significantly increased during Ramadan and decreased after Ramadan (p<0.05). No significant change was seen in TG and HDL during the study (p<0.05). Conclusion: Cholesterol and LDL During Ramadan increases and then decreases. There was no change in the levels of TG and HDL in pregnant women. The present study findings may not be sufficient to definitely conclude that Ramadan fasting is safe during pregnancy

Antileishmanial and cytotoxic effects of essential oil and methanolic extract of Myrtus communis L.

Abstract: Plants used for traditional medicine contain a wide range of substances that can be used to treat various diseases such as infectious diseases. The present study was designed to evaluate the antileishmanial effects of the essential oil and methanolic extract of Myrtus communis against Leishmania tropica on an in vitro model. Antileishmanial effects of essential oil and methanolic extract of M. communis on promastigote forms and their cytotoxic activities against J774 cells were evaluated using MTT assay for 72 hr. In addition, their leishmanicidal activity against amastigote forms was determined in a macrophage model, for 72 hr. Findings showed that the main components of essential oil were α-pinene (24.7%), 1,8-cineole (19.6%), and linalool (12.6%). Findings demonstrated that M. communis, particularly its essential oil, significantly (P<0.05) inhibited the growth rate of promastigote and amastigote forms of L. tropica based on a dose-dependent response. The IC50 values for essential oil and methanolic extract was 8.4 and 28.9 µg/ml against promastigotes, respectively. These values were 11.6 and 40.8 µg/ml against amastigote forms, respectively. Glucantime as control drug also revealed IC50 values of 88.3 and 44.6 µg/ml for promastigotes and amastigotes of L. tropica, respectively. The in vitro assay demonstrated no significant cytotoxicity in J774 cells. However, essential oil indicated a more cytotoxic effect as compared with the methanolic extract of M. communis. The findings of the present study demonstrated that M. communis might be a natural source for production of a new leishmanicidal agent

Chemical composition, efficacy and safety of Pistacia vera (var. Fandoghi) to inactivate protoscoleces during hydatid cyst surgery

At present, various scolicidal agents have been used for inactivation of protoscoleces during hydatid cyst surgery, however, they are associated with serious adverse side effects including sclerosing colangititis (biliary tract fibrosis), liver necrosis and methaemoglobinaemia. This investigation was designed to evaluate the chemical composition and in vitro scolicidal effects of Pistacia vera (var. Fandoghi) essential oil against protoscoleces of hydatid cysts and also its toxicity in mice model. The components of the P. vera essential oil were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) analysis. Protoscoleces were aseptically aspirated from sheep livers having hydatid cysts. Various concentrations of the essential oil (25–200ml/mL) were used for 5–30 min. Viability of protoscoleces was confirmed using eosin exclusion test (0.1% eosin staining). In addition, forty male NIH mice were used to determine the acute and sub-acute toxicity of P. vera essential oil for 2 and 14 days, respectively. The main components of P. vera essential oil were limonene (26.21%), a-pinene (18.07%), a-thujene (9.31%) and a-terpinolene (9.28%). Findings of the present study demonstrated that the P. vera essential oil at the concentrations of 100 and 200ml/mL killed 100% protoscoleces after 10 and 5 min of exposure, respectively. The LD50 values of intraperitoneal injection of the P. vera essential oil was 2.69 ml/kg body weight, and the maximum nonfatal doses were 1.94 ml/kg body weight. No significant difference (P > 0.05) was observed in the clinical chemistry and hematological parameters following oral administrations of P. vera essential oil at the doses 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 ml/kg for 14 days. The obtained findings demonstrated new chemical composition and promising scolicidal activity of the P. vera with no significant toxicity which might be used as a natural scolicidal agent in hydatid cyst surger

In vitro and in vivo antileishmanial activities of Pistacia vera essential oil

This study aims to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo antileishmanial activities of Pistacia vera essential oil and compare their efficacy with a reference drug, meglumine antimoniate (Glucantime®). This essential oil (0–100 µg/mL) was evaluated in vitro against the intracellular amastigote forms of Leishmania tropica (MHOM/IR/2002/Mash2) and then tested on cutaneous leishmaniasis of male BALB/c mice by Leishmania major (MRHO/IR/75/ ER). In the in vitro assay, it could be observed that P. vera essential oil significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited the growth rate of amastigote forms (IC50 of 21.3 ± 2.1 µg/mL) in a dose-dependent response compared with the control drug. Meglumine antimoniate also demonstrated antileishmanial effects with an IC50 value of 44.6 ± 2.5 µg/mL for this clinical stage. In the in vivo assay, the results indicated that 30 mg/mL of the essential oil had potent suppression effects on cutaneous leishmaniasis in BALB/c mice (87.5% recovery), while 10 and 20 mg/mL of the essential oil represented the suppression effects as weak to intermediate. The mean diameter of the lesions decreased about 0.11 and 0.27 cm after the treatment of the subgroups with the essential oil concentrations of 10 and 20 mg/mL, respectively. In contrast, in the subgroup treated with the essential oil concentration of 30 mg/mL, the mean diameter of the lesions decreased about 0.56 cm. In the control subgroups, the mean diameter of the lesions increased to 1.01 cm. The main components of P. vera essential oil were limonene (26.21%), α-pinene (18.07%), and α-thujene (9.31%). It was also found that P. vera essential oil had no significant cytotoxic effect on J774 cells. The present study found that P. vera essential oil showed considerable in vitro and in vivo effectiveness against L. tropica and L. major compared to the reference drug. These findings also provided the scientific evidence that natural plants could be used in traditional medicine for the prevention and treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis

Efficacy of Myrtus communis L. to inactivate the hydatid cyst protoscoleces

Purpose: The present study aims to investigate the scolicidal effects of Myrtus communis L. essential oil against protoscoleces of hydatid cysts and also its toxicity in mice model. Materials and Methods: Protoscoleces were aseptically aspirated from sheep livers having hydatid cysts. Various concentrations of the essential oil (12.5–100 μl/ml) were used for 5–30 min. Viability of protoscoleces was confirmed using eosin exclusion test (0.1% eosin staining). Moreover, 48 male NMRI mice were used to determine the acute and sub-acute toxicity of M. communis essential oil. One-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post-hoc test was used to assess differences between experimental groups. Results: Findings of the present study demonstrated that the M. communis essential oil at the concentration of 100 μl/ml after 5 min of exposure killed 100% protoscoleces. Similarly, the mean mortality rate of protoscoleces after 10 min of exposure to concentration of 50 μl/ml was 100%. However, lower concentrations (12.5 and 25 μl/ml) of M. communis essential oil provoked a delayed protoscolicidal effects. The LD50 values of intraperitoneal injection of the M. communis essential oil was 2.23 mL/kg body wt. No significant difference (p > .05) was observed in the clinical chemistry and hematological parameters following oral administrations of M. communis essential oil at the doses 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 mL/kg for 14 days. Conclusion: The results showed potent scolicidal activity of M. communis with no significant toxicity, which might be used as a natural scolicidal agent in hydatid cyst surgery

Scolicidal effects of black cumin seed (Nigella sativa) essential oil on hydatid cysts

Abstract: Surgery remains the preferred treatment for hydatid cyst (cystic echinococcosis, CE). Various scolicidal agents have been used for inactivation of protoscolices during surgery, but most of them are associated with adverse side effects. The present study aimed to evaluate the in vitro scolicidal effect of Nigella sativa (Ranunculaceae) essential oil and also its active principle, thymoquinone, against protoscolices of hydatid cysts. Protoscolices were aseptically aspirated from sheep livers having hydatid cysts. Various concentrations of the essential oil (0.01-10 mg/ml) and thymoquinone (0.125-1.0 mg/ml) were used for 5 to 60 min. Viability of protoscolices was confirmed by 0.1% eosin staining. Furthermore, the components of the N. sativa essential oil were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS). Our study revealed that the essential oil of N. sativa at the concentration of 10 mg/ml and its main component, thymoquinone, at the concentration of 1 mg/ml had potent scolicidal activities against protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus after 10 min exposure. Moreover, thymoquinone (42.4%), p-cymene (14.1%), carvacrol (10.3%), and longifolene (6.1%) were found to be the major components of N. sativa essential oil by GC/MS analysis. The results of this study indicated the potential of N. sativa as a natural source for production of a new scolicidal agent for use in hydatid cyst surgery. However, further studies will be needed to confirm these results by checking the essential oil and its active component in in vivo models

In vitro lethal effects of various extracts of Nigella sativa seed on hydatid cyst protoscoleces

Objective(s): There are several scolicidal agents for inactivation of hydatid cyst protoscolices during surgery, but most of them are associated with adverse side effects such as sclerosing cholangitis and liver necrosis. The present study was aimed to evaluate scolicidal effects of various extracts of Nigella sativa seeds against protoscoleces of hydatid cyst in an in vitro model. Materials and Methods: Protoscoleces were aseptically aspirated from naturally infected livers of sheep and goats. Various concentrations of the different extracts of N. sativa (5 to 50 mg/ml) were used for 5 to 60 min. Viability of protoscoleces was confirmed by 0.1% eosin staining. Results: The findings exhibited that methanolic extract at the concentration of 50 mg/ml after 10 min of incubation, and aqueous extract at the concentration of 50 mg/ml after 30 min of incubation can kill 100% of protoscoleces. In addition, all of experiments revealed dose-dependent and also time-dependent scolicidal effect of various extracts of N. sativa on the protoscoleces of hydatid cyst. Conclusion: The results of the present study demonstrated that N. sativa may be a natural source for the production of new scolicidal agent for use in hydatid cyst surgery. However, further studies will be required to evaluate scolicidal effects of N. sativa in the in vivo model

In Vitro

The present study aims to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo antileishmanial activities of Pistacia khinjuk Stocks (Anacardiaceae) alcoholic extract and to compare its efficacy with a reference drug, meglumine antimoniate (MA, Glucantime), against Leishmania tropica and Leishmania major. This extract (0–100 µg/mL) was evaluated in vitro against promastigote and intracellular amastigote forms of L. tropica (MRHO/IR/75/ER) and then tested on cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in male BALB/c mice with L. major to reproduce the antileishmanial activity topically. In vitro, P. khinjuk extract significantly (P<0.05) inhibited the growth rate of promastigote (IC50 58.6±3.2 µg/mL) and intramacrophage amastigotes (37.3±2.5 µg/mL) of L. tropica as a dose-dependent response. In the in vivo assay, after 30 days of treatment, 75% recovery was observed in the infected mice treated with 30% extract. After treatment of the subgroups with the concentration of 20 and 30% of P. khinjuk extract, mean diameter of lesions was significantly (P<0.05) reduced. To conclude, the present investigation demonstrated that P. vera extract had in vitro and in vivo effectiveness against L. major. Obtained findings also provide the scientific evidences that natural plants could be used in the traditional medicine for the prevention and treatment of CL

Chemical composition and scolicidal activity of Zataria multiflora Boiss essential oil

Zataria multiflora Boiss (Lamiaceae) commonly grows in Iran is a popular medicinal plant with various pharmacological activities mentioned in traditional Iranian medicine and modern phytotherapy. This study was designed to evaluate the chemical composition and scolicidal effects of Z. multiflora essential oil on the protoscoleces of hydatid cysts on an in vitro model. The components of the Z. multiflora essential oil were identified by GC/MS analysis. Protoscoleces were aseptically aspirated from the livers of naturally infected sheep. Various concentrations of essential oil, thymol and carvacrol were used for 5–30 minutes. Eosin exclusion test was used to determine the viability of protoscoleces. The main components were thymol (41.8%), carvacrol (28.8%), and p-cymene (8.4%). Findings showed that essential oil at the concentrations of 12.5 and 6.25 μL/mL killed 100% protoscoleces after 5 and 20 minutes of exposure, respectively. In addition, thymol and carvacrol at the concentrations of 100 μg/mL and 100 μL/mL killed 100% protoscoleces after 10 minutes incubation, respectively. Obtained results in this investigation for the first time demonstrated that Z. multiflora essential oil and its main components might be a natural source for the production of new scolicidal agent