| Objectives: Toxoplasmosis is a worldwide health problem
that caused by intracellular apicomplexan parasite,
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). Considering that the
available drugs for toxoplasmosis have serious host toxicity,
the aim of the current study was to survey the in
vitro and in vivo anti-Toxoplasma activity of Zea mays
(Z. mays) and Eryngium caucasicum (E. caucasicum)
extracts.
Methods: Four concentrations (5, 10, 25, and 50 mg mL-
1) of Z. mays and E. caucasicum methanolic extracts for
30, 60, 120, and 180 min were incubated with infected
macrophages and then the viability of RH strain of T.
gondii tachyzoites was evaluated by trypan blue staining
method. Also, we evaluated the survival rate of acutely
infected mice with the extracts (100 and 200 mg kg-1 day-
1) intraperitoneally for 5 days after infection with 2× 104
tachyzoites of T. gondii.
Results: The anti-Toxoplasma effect of the methanolic
extracts were extremely significant compared to the
negative control group in all exposure times (P < 0.05).
The Z. mays (10, 25 and 50 mg mL-1) killed 100% of the
parasites after 180 and 120 min exposure, respectively.
Also, high toxoplasmacidal activity was observed with
E. caucasicum extract. Furthermore, treatment of experimentally
infected mice with the Z. mays (100, 200
mg kg-1 day-1) and E. caucasicum (100 mg kg-1 day-1)
significantly increased their survival rate compared to
untreated infected control (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: These extracts are promising candidates
for further medicine development on toxoplasmosis.
However, further investigations are necessary to clarify
effective fractions of the Z. mays and E. caucasicum
extracts and the mechanisms of action. |