Anti-parasitic effects of extracts of Asteraceae species on Echinococcus granulosus s.s.

ALBANI C.; BORGO, J.; FABBRI, J.; PENSEL, P.; FASCIANI L.; PALADINI A.; BEER MF; LAURELLA L; ELSO O; FARIAS, N.E.; ELISSONDO, N.; GAMBINO, G.; SÜLSEN V; ELISSONDO C

EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

OXFORD UNIV PRESS

Lugar: Oxford; Año: 2022

1741-427X

Cystic echinococcosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease caused by Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato (s.l.), which produces long-term infections in humans and animals. Available anti-parasitic treatment is mostly limited to benzimidazoles, mainly albendazole (ABZ). However, it has undesirable side effects and their efficacy is about 50%. Based on the problematic described, new treatment alternatives are urgently needed. Asteraceae family includes plants that have therapeutic applications (medicinal species) and has an important role in the development of new drugs. The species belonging to different genus of this family show a wide range of anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, hepatoprotective and antiparasitic activities, among others. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the in vitro efficacy of extracts of four Asteraceae species against protoscoleces of E. granulosus sensu stricto (s.s.). On the other hand, the S. aristata extract was assessed on murine cyst of E. granulosus sensu stricto (s.s.) and the clinical efficacy of this extract was investigated in a murine model of CE. Stevia satureiifolia, S. aristata, Grindella pulchella and G. chiloensis extracts at 100 µg/mL caused a decrease in protoscoleces viability, however S. aristata extract produced the greatest in vitro protoscolicidal effect. Protoscoleces viability decreased quickly with 100 µg/mL of S. aristata extract, reaching 0% after 20 days of treatment, which was consistent with the observed tegumental alterations studied by scanning electron microscopy. After 4 days of incubation, the collapse of the germinal layer was observed in 60 ± 5.8% and 83.3 ± 12.0% of cysts treated with 50 and 100 µg/ml, respectively. The half maximal effective concentration value of the S. aristata extract against E. granulosus s.s. cysts was 47.86 µg/mL (96h). In the clinical efficacy study, the treatment of infected mice with the S. aristata extract (50 mg kg−1) caused a significant decrease in the weight of the cysts compared with the control group. These results coincided with the tissue damage observed in the cysts at the ultrastructural level. In conclusion, we demonstrated that S. aristata extract caused both an in vitro effect on protoscoleces and cysts and, also, a better pharmacotherapeutic efficacy than the reference drug, albendazole.