Effect of olive leaf, Satureja khuzestanica, and Allium sativum extracts on Giardia lamblia cysts compared with metronidazole in vitro

Selective activity of Tabebuia avellanedae against Giardia duodenalis infecting organoid-derived human gastrointestinal epithelia

Giardia duodenalis is a widespread intestinal protozoan that affects mammals, including humans. Symptoms can range from being subclinical to causing severe abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Giardiasis often requires repeated treatment with synthetic drugs like metronidazole. In recent years, treatment failures in clinical cases involving nitroimidazoles have been increasingly reported. Consequently, identifying therapeutic alternatives is necessary. Medicinal plants have traditionally been used as antiparasitic compounds, but systematic evaluation under controlled experimental conditions is often lacking. Here, we evaluated the in vitro efficacy of Tabebuia avellanedae dry and hydroalcoholic extracts, as well as one of its active compounds, β-lapachone, as potential treatment against G. duodenalis infection. We observed effective antigiardial activity for all tested compounds, with β-lapachone exhibiting lower IC50 values than metronidazole. Cytotoxic effects often limit therapeutic concentration windows of opportunity, and choosing an informative model to assess them is not straightforward. In the present case, only T. avellanedae hydroalcoholic extract showed no cytotoxicity on tumoral human intestinal Caco-2 cell line, and only a trend of inhibition when tested on canine epithelial kidney MDCK cells. To introduce a more physiological test system, we used in vitro G. duodenalis infection experiments in a trans-well set-up using organoid derived monolayers (ODM) to assess at the same time drug efficacy against the parasite and safety on primary human intestinal epithelia, a likely surrogate for in vivo conditions. Our studies using this model point towards the potential therapeutic opportunity for non-systemic applications of T. avellanedae extracts and a relevant ingredient of these, β-lapachone. The data suggest that ODM co-cultures with G. duodenalis are suitable for testing antigiardial compounds, providing a more informative in vitro model before progressing to in vivo tests.

Current use of medicinal plants for children's diseases among mothers in Southern Romania

There is a limited number of studies focusing on ethnomedical practices in children, particularly in Eastern Europe. Romania has a rich history of using medicinal plants in ethnopediatric care, and our objective was to identify the medicinal plants currently employed in treating childhood illnesses in the southern region of the country. Material and methods Our investigation used structured interviews, focusing on respondent demographics, local names of therapeutically employed herbs, the specific plant part(s) utilized, methods of preparation and administration, and local folk indications of taxa. A total of 326 mothers with children aged 0 to 18, hospitalized in the "Grigore Alexandrescu" Children Emergency Hospital Bucharest and residing in Southern Romania, were enrolled in the study. Use Value Citation Index (UVc), Informant Consensus Factor (Fic), and Fidelity Level (FL) were calculated. Results Twenty-five plants were identified for treating children's diseases in Southern Romania. The majority of informants resided in urban areas, and mothers primarily acquired knowledge from family members and healthcare professionals. The herbs most frequently employed were Mentha spp. (UV = 0.509) for diarrhea, Matricaria spp. (UV = 0.301) for skin infections (Fic = 0.99) and digestive diseases (Fic = 0.98), and Calendula officinalis L. (UV = 0.365) for skin diseases (Fic = 0.99). Less utilized were Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. sativus (L.) Domin in respiratory diseases, Prunus avium (L.) L. stalks in urinary tract ailments, Helianthus annuus L. in ear infections, Allium sativum L. in intestinal parasitosis, Viola tricolor L. in hives, Triticum aestivum L. in dermatitis and Allium ursinum L. as a tonic. In 184 cases herbal treatment was used in conjunction with conventional medications. Education level correlated with the number of employed plants and the variety of treated ailments, while residency (rural vs. urban) did not. Both residency and education influenced plant procurement methods: rural background and, surprisingly, higher education were linked to a preference for harvesting rather than purchasing plants. Conclusion Botanical remedies are still commonly used in the treatment of pediatric diseases in Southern Romania, although the variety of taxa seems reduced compared to the past. Further exploration is essential to unlock the maximum benefits of ethnopediatric practices.

Evaluating the Effect of Lactobacillus casei FEGY 9973 and Curcumin on Experimental Giardiasis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Giardia is a parasitic hard protozoan that causes a variety of parasitological and pathological changes in gastrointestinal epithelial cells and is resistant to a variety of disinfectants and treatments. This study used experimental animals infected with Giardia Lamblia to assess the potential therapeutic effect of Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus bulgaricus (Lactobacillus in yoghurt) and curcumin in comparison to one of the commonly used drugs (metronidazole).

METHODS

The study included 54 Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) that ranged in weight from 80 to 100 g and were divided into six groups: The effect of the used preparations was assessed in terms of parasitological and histopathological aspects in Group I non-infected healthy control, Group II infected non-treated, Group III infected treated with metronidazole MTZ, Group IV infected treated with Lactobacillus casei, Group V infected treated with curcumin, and Group VI infected treated with, Lactobacillus bulgaricus (Lactobacillus in yoghurt). The number of G. lamblia cysts per gram of stool was counted during the parasitological examination.

RESULTS

The difference between the infected non-treated group and all the treated groups was statistically significant (P0.05). When compared to the infected untreated group, Lactobacillus casei and, Lactobacillus bulgaricus (Lactobacillus in yoghurt) produced a 100% reduction in G. lamblia cyst shedding, curcumin produced an 87.80% reduction in number of cysts, and metronidazole produced a 78.4% reduction in number of cysts.

CONCLUSION

Our results highlight the potentially effective therapeutic effect of different preparations of probiotics and curcumin against Giardiasis.

Valorizing the usage of olive leaves, bioactive compounds, biological activities, and food applications: A comprehensive review

Olive oil production is a significant source of economic profit for Mediterranean nations, accounting for around 98 percent of global output. Olive oil usage has increased dramatically in recent years, owing to its organoleptic characteristics and rising knowledge of its health advantages. The culture of olive trees and the manufacture of industrial and table olive oil produces enormous volumes of solid waste and dark liquid effluents, involving olive leaves, pomace, and olive oil mill wastewaters. These by-products cause an economic issue for manufacturers and pose major environmental concerns. As a result, partial reuse, like other agronomical production wastes, is a goal to be achieved. Because these by-products are high in bioactive chemicals, which, if isolated, might denote components with significant added value for the food, cosmetic, and nutraceutical sectors, indeed, they include significant amounts of beneficial organic acids, carbohydrates, proteins, fibers, and phenolic materials, which are distributed differently between the various wastes depending on the olive oil production method and table olive agronomical techniques. However, the extraction and recovery of bioactive materials from chosen by-products is a significant problem of their reasonable value, and rigorous detection and quantification are required. The primary aims of this review in this context are to outline the vital bioactive chemicals in olive by-products, evaluate the main developments in extraction, purification, and identification, and study their uses in food packaging systems and safety problems.

Assessment of therapeutic potential of Allium sativum and Zingiber officinale commercial supplements in experimental giardiasis models

Giardia lamblia is one of the most common protozoal parasites in humans, and a major cause of diarrheal illness. Treatment of giardiasis relies on metronidazole (MTZ) and other nitroimidazoles which exhibit some limitations, including variable treatment efficacy and parasite-drug resistance. In this work, we investigated the therapeutic effects of the commercial products of Allium sativum (A. sativum) and Zingiber officinale (Z. officinale), alone and in combination with MTZ, on giardiasis in experimentally infected hamsters. Parasitological assessments: cysts count, cysts viability and trophozoites count, and histopathological assessment were performed. Results revealed that the percentage of reduction in cysts number in the A. sativum, Z. officinale, A. sativum/MTZ, and Z. officinale/MTZ treated groups were of 84.5, 88.9, 82, and 86.1%, respectively, compared to infected non-treated group. While MTZ treated group showed percentage of reduction 79.7%. Regarding the cyst viability, it was reduced by 73.4, 76.9, 64.9, and 70.7%, in the A. sativum, Z. officinale, A. sativum/MTZ, and Z. officinale/MTZ treated groups respectively, compared to 61.9% in the MTZ treated group. For the trophozoites, the percentage of reduction was 64.1, 60.2, 59.4, and 47.3%, respectively, compared to 38.6% in MTZ treated group. The examination of duodenal sections revealed remarkable improvement in the histopathological changes in the A. sativum, Z. officinale, and the MTZ combination groups. In conclusion, A. sativum and Z. officinale preparations showed higher anti-giardial activity compared to MTZ, with higher reduction in Giardia cyst numbers, viability and trophozoite numbers in the experimentally infected hamsters. Further in vivo trials are recommended using A. sativum and Z. officinale preparations in increasing doses to reach a higher cure rate.

Current studies and potential future research directions on biological effects and related mechanisms of allicin

Allicin, a thiosulfonate extract from freshly minced garlic, has been reported to have various biological effects on different organs and systems of animals and human. It can reduce oxidative stress, inhibit inflammatory response, resist pathogen infection and regulate intestinal flora. In addition, dozens of studies also demonstrated allicin could reduce blood glucose level, protect cardiovascular system and nervous system, and fight against cancers. Allicin was widely used in disease prevention and health care. However, more investigations on human cohort study are needed to verify the biological or clinical effects of allicin in the future. In this review, we summarized the biological effects of allicin from previous outstanding and valuable studies and provided useful information for future studies on the health effects of allicin.

Elimination of Giardia duodenalis BIV in vivo using natural extracts in microbiome and dietary supplements

In this study, a combination therapy of several natural products was evaluated in vivo in the Giardia duodenalis infection model. G. duodenalis infected mice were treated as follows: distilled water (infected control C+), BIOintestil® (BIO; natural products of Cymbopogon martinii and Zingiber officinale), MicrobiomeX® (MBX; extract of Citrus sinensis and Citrus paradisi), MBX + BIO, Camellia sinensis tea (CPR; black tea). These natural compounds were administered in a dose of 100 mg/day and were compared to G. duodenalis-infected mice treated with albendazole (ALB; 50 mg/Kg/day) and metronidazole (MET; 500 mg/Kg/day), the conventional therapies used to this day. One group remained un-infected and untreated as our control group (C-). Treatment started 8 days after infection, and after 5 days of treatment (7 days for MET), all animals were followed for 15 days. We continuously checked for the presence of G. duodenalis by Faust method, in association with detection of the parasite by PCR from feces, as well for the presence of trophozoites in the intestinal mucosa after sacrifice. Animals treated with MBX, BIO and MBX + BIO presented an undetectable parasitic load until the 15th day of monitoring, while animals treated with CPR, MET and ALB continued to release cysts. Animals in the MBX, MBX + BIO, ALB groups consumed lower feed, MBX, CPR, MET had greater weight and MBX, MBX + BIO, BIO, CPR, C- consumed more water when compared to infected-group control. MBX and BIO alone or associated eliminated G. duodenalis without apparent adverse effects and animals of these groups showed better clinical performance in relation to those with high parasitic load. MET, ALB and CPR only decreased the number of cysts, indicating limitations and therapeutic failure.

In vivo and in vitro evaluation of the effect of glyphosate (Roundup) on Toxoplasma gondii

Apicoplast, a derived non-photosynthetic plastid, which is found in most Apicomplexa, provides essential functions to parasites. The shikimate pathway is localized in the plant chloroplast as a remarkable route for the survival of the Toxoplasma. In this study, in vivo and in vitro effects of glyphosate (Roundup, Herbicide), as an inhibitor of the enzyme, were evaluated on T. gondii. Tachyzoites of RH strain were incubated for 1.5 h in various concentrations (1-128 µg/ml) of glyphosate. The parasite was cultivated in the cell monolayer of the heLa cell, and then the cultures were exposed to various concentrations. To evaluate the therapeutic quality, 2 × 10⁵ tachyzoites were intradermally inoculated into ten mice from each group. Four doses of the compound were daily administrated every 24 h after inoculation due 10 days continuously. Also, two other groups were assigned as the positive and negative control. In flow cytometry, the highest mortality rate was related to concentrations of 128 and 256 μg/ml, 18.29% and 18.64%, respectively, while the mortality rate was 0.03% in the negative control (P value > 0.05). Based on microscopic observation of the stained touch smear of the liver, all treated mice were killed by the parasite. This compound also had no lethal effect on the mice. According to the results of this study, glyphosate is not a good candidate for the treatment of toxoplasmosis. It seems that the parasite has another pathway for providing the essential amino acids.

Systematic review on medicinal plants used for the treatment of Giardia infection

Background

However, broad adoption of herbal remedies for giardiasis is at present hampered by uncertain findings of investigation not always sufficiently powered. This study was aimed at systematically reviewing the existing literature in herbal medicines to treat giardiasis.

Methods

This review was carried out 06- PRISMA guideline and registered in the CAMARADES-NC3Rs Preclinical Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Facility (SyRF) database. The search was performed in five databases which are Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Google Scholar without time limitation for all published articles (in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies). The searched words and terms were: “Giardia”, “giardiasis”, “extract”, “essential oil”, “herbal medicines”, “anti-Giardia”, “In vitro”, “In vivo”, “clinical trial” etc.

Results

Out of 1585 papers, 40 papers including 28 in vitro (70.0%), 7 in vivo (17.5%), 2 in vitro/ in vivo (5.0%), and 3 clinical trials (7.5%) up to 2020, met the inclusion criteria for discussion in this systematic review. The most widely used medicinal plants against Giardia infection belong to the family Lamiaceae (30.0%) followed by Asteraceae (13.5%), Apiaceae (10.5%). The most common parts used in the studies were aerial parts (45.0%) followed by leaves (27.4%) and seeds (7.5%). The aqueous extract (30.0%), essential oil (25.4%) and hydroalcholic and methanolic (10.5%) were considered as the desired approaches of herbal extraction, respectively.

Conclusion

The current review showed that the plant-based anti-Giardia agents are very promising as an alternative and complementary resource for treating giardiasis since had low significant toxicity. However, more studies are required to elucidate this conclusion, especially in clinical systems.

The in vitro and in vivo anti-virulent effect of organic acid mixtures against Eimeria tenella and Eimeria bovis

Eimeria tenella and Eimeria bovis are complex parasites responsible for the condition of coccidiosis, that invade the animal gastrointestinal intestinal mucosa causing severe diarrhoea, loss of appetite or abortions, with devastating impacts on the farming industry. The negative impacts of these parasitic infections are enhanced by their role in promoting the colonisation of the gut by common foodborne pathogens. The aim of this study was to test the anti-Eimeria efficacy of maltodextrin, sodium chloride, citric acid, sodium citrate, silica, malic acid, citrus extract, and olive extract individually, in vitro and in combination, in vivo. Firstly, in vitro infection models demonstrated that antimicrobials reduced (p < 0.05), both singly and in combination (AG), the ability of E. tenella and E. bovis to infect MDBK and CLEC-213 epithelial cells, and the virulence reduction was similar to that of the anti-coccidial drug Robenidine. Secondly, using an in vivo broiler infection model, we demonstrated that AG reduced (p = 0.001) E. tenella levels in the caeca and excreted faeces, reduced inflammatory oxidative stress, improved the immune response through reduced ROS, increased Mn-SOD and SCFA levels. Levels of IgA and IgM were significantly increased in caecal tissues of broilers that received 0.5% AG and were associated with improved (p < 0.0001) tissue lesion scores. A prophylactic approach increased the anti-parasitic effect in vivo, and results indicated that administration from day 0, 5 and 10 post-hatch reduced tissue lesion scores (p < 0.0001) and parasite excretion levels (p = 0.002). Conclusively, our in vitro and in vivo results demonstrate that the natural antimicrobial mixture (AG) reduced parasitic infections through mechanisms that reduced pathogen virulence and attenuated host inflammatory events.

Antimicrobial resistance of the enteric protozoon Giardia duodenalis - A narrative review

Introduction

As therapy-refractory giardiasis is an emerging health issue, this review aimed at summarizing mechanisms of reduced antimicrobial susceptibility in Giardia duodenalis and strategies to overcome this problem.

Methods

A narrative review on antimicrobial resistance in G. duodenalis was based upon a selective literature research.

Results

Failed therapeutic success has been observed for all standard therapies of giardiasis comprising nitroimidazoles like metronidazole or tinidazole as first line substances but also benznidazoles like albendazole and mebendazole, the nitrofuran furazolidone, the thiazolide nitazoxanide, and the aminoglycoside paromomycin. Multicausality of the resistance phenotypes has been described, with differentiated gene expression due to epigenetic and post-translational modifications playing a considerable bigger role than mutational base exchanges in the parasite DNA. Standardized resistance testing algorithms are not available and clinical evidence for salvage therapies is scarce in spite of research efforts targeting new giardicidal drugs.

Conclusion

In case of therapeutic failure of first line nitroimidazoles, salvage strategies including various options for combination therapy exist in spite of limited evidence and lacking routine diagnostic-compatible assays for antimicrobial susceptibility testing in G. duodenalis. Sufficiently powered clinical and diagnostic studies are needed to overcome both the lacking evidence regarding salvage therapy and the diagnostic neglect of antimicrobial resistance.

Antimicrobial Activities of Satureja khuzestanica Jamzad; A Review

Satureja khuzestanica Jamzad is a species native to Iran and is highly important in Southwestern regions. It belongs to the Lamiaceae family and grows in different climates. A number of pharmacological properties such as analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, anti-thyroid, antioxidant, and diuretic have been attributed to this plant. In recent years, a wide range of biological properties, extract, and essential oil of Satureja khuzestanica has been studied by researchers. In the present study, Scopus, SID, ISI, Google Scholar, and PubMed indices were used to extract research articles. No publication time constraint was considered, and the keyword "Satureja khuzestanica" was used to search articles. All extracted articles were examined by two expert researchers and those on the biologic and fundamental science properties of this plan entered the study. Results showed that S. khuzestanica has extensive research and medicinal applications. Considering the economic and medical importance of S. khuzestanica, it is hoped that more extensive studies can be conducted in the future on the use of compounds and derivatives of this plant in order to obtain herbal medications to treat pathogens in human and animal.

In Vitro Assessment Antiparasitic Effect of Selenium and Copper Nanoparticles on Giardia deodenalis Cyst

Background:

Application of chemotherapy to treatment of parasitic disease of man and animals can be problematic due to different adverse effects. As a result, there is an increasing interest in nanoparticles as new therapeutic tools against these diseases. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of selenium and copper oxide nanoparticles on Giardia deudenalis cysts in vitro, as well as comparing it to that of metronidazole.

Methods:

The cysts were taken from the stools of patients in Urmia, Iran, during 2017–2018. The cysts were taken from stool and were concentrated and isolated on 0.85 M-sucrose. Then, selenium and copper oxide nanoparticles were prepared at concentrations of 0.15, 0.3, and 0.6 mg/ml. The effect of nanoparticle’s various concentrations at 10, 15, 30, 60, and 180 min were evaluated and compared to control groups. Obtained data was recorded and statistically analyzed.

Results:

Copper oxide nanoparticles at a concentration of 0.6 mg/ml and selenium nanoparticles at a concentration of 0.3 mg/ml had the same effect as of metronidazole in killing of Giardia cysts. The cytotoxic effects of selenium and copper oxide nanoparticles, compared with metronidazole, on Giardia cysts, showed an increase of fatality rate due to extend exposure time and nanoparticle’s concentration (P<0.05).

Conclusion:

Selenium and copper oxide nanoparticles are as efficient as metronidazole, for killing Giardia cysts in vitro.

Anti-giardial therapeutic potential of dichloromethane extracts of Zingiber officinale and Curcuma longa in vitro and in vivo

Giardiosis is one of the common parasitic diarrhoea in humans, especially in children, worldwide. Many drugs are used for its treatment, but there is evidence of drug resistance, insufficient efficacy and unpleasant side effects. Natural products are good candidates for discovering more effective anti-giardial compounds. This study evaluated the activity of extracts of Zingiber officinale (ginger) and Curcuma longa (curcumin) against Giardia lamblia in vitro and in vivo. Giardia cyst suspension was prepared from children faecal specimens. For the in vitro experiment, 1, 10 and 50 mg⁄mL dichloromethane extracts of ginger and curcumin separately were incubated with Giardia cysts for 5, 10, 30 and 60 min. The viability was distinguished by 0.1 % eosin and a haemocytometer. For the in vivo experiments, Balb/c mice were infected with Giardia cyst suspension containing 10,000 cysts/mL. Infected mice were administered 10 and 20 mg kg(-1) day(-1) ginger and curcumin extracts separately for 7 days post-infection. The effectiveness of the extracts was evaluated by faecal cyst and intestinal trophozoite counts and histopathological examination of the small intestine. In vitro ginger extract had a higher significant effect on cyst viability than curcumin, in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In vivo ginger (more effective) and curcumin extracts significantly treated infected mice, and this was evidenced by the faecal cyst and intestinal trophozoite counts reduction, in addition to evident improvement of intestinal mucosal damages induced by Giardia infection. Z. officinale and C. longa extracts may represent effective and natural therapeutic alternatives with low side effects and without drug resistance in the treatment of giardiosis.

A Critical Overview on the Pharmacological and Clinical Aspects of Popular Satureja Species

Throughout the world, various parts of most Satureja species are traditionally used to treat patients with various diseases and complications. As for the presence of different classes of metabolites in Satureja and their numerous ethnomedical and ethnopharmacological applications, many species have been pharmacologically evaluated. The current work aimed to compile information from pharmacological studies on this savory for further investigations. The keyword Satureja was searched through Scopus and PubMed up to January 1, 2016. We found nearly 55 papers that dealt with the pharmacology of Satureja. We found that 13 species had been evaluated pharmacologically and that Satureja khuzestanica, Satureja bachtiarica, Satureja montana and Satureja hortensis appeared to be the most active, both clinically and phytopharmacologically. Regarding the content of rich essential oil, most evaluations were concerned with the antimicrobial properties. However, the antioxidant, antidiabetic and anticholesterolemic properties of the studied species were found to be good. In addition to the pharmacological activities that have been indentified for some species, opportunities still exist to assess the effectiveness of other well-known species. If different Satureja species are to have extensive ethnopharmacological applications, comprehensive assessments of the acute and chronic toxicities, as well as the teratogenicity, of those plants are needed.