Efficacy of Capparis spinosa Linn Leaf and Fruit Extracts on Giardia Lambia Cysts In vitro
Aram Mohamadian
Zoonotic Diseases Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran.
Asad Mirzaei
Zoonotic Diseases Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran.
Naser Abbasi
Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran.
Razi Naserifar
Zoonotic Diseases Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran.
Jalil Feizi
Departement of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran.
Parviz Karimi
Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran.
Ali Khorshidi
Department of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Jahrom University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran.
Nahid Maspi
Zoonotic Diseases Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran.
Jahangir Abdi *
Zoonotic Diseases Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: Giardia lamblia (G. lamblia) is one of the most common intestinal parasites worldwide. There are some side effects and the reports of parasite resistance to metronidazole as the first line treatment of giardiasis. Therefore, it is essential to discover an effect and safe drug to treat giardiasis.
Methodology: In this study, the anti-parasitic activity of hydroalcoholic extracts of Capparis spinosa Linn (C. spinosa) leaves and fruits with different concentrations (4 to 0.125 mg/ml) was assessed against human isolates of the G. lamblia cysts and incubated at 37℃. After staining Giardia cysts with 0.1% eosin, the lethal percentage and 50% lethal concentration (LC50) of fruit and leave C. spinosa L extracts and metronidazole on G. lamblia cysts were calculated after 3, 6, 24 and 48 hours.
Results: Anti-giardia activity of fruit and leaf extracts of C. spinosa was different between concentrations and time points (p<0.005). The lethal effect of both C. spinosa L extracts and metronidazole increased significantly in a concentration - and time–dependent response (P<0.0001). The highest lethal percentage of G. lamblia cysts was observed a concentration of 4 mg / ml of fruit (100%) and leaf (44%) extracts of C. spinosa L after 48 hours, respectively. LC50 values were 0.38 ± 0.02mg/ml for fruit extract, 2.32 ± 0.1 mg/ml for leaf extract and 0.53 ± 0.03 µg/ml for metronidazole after 48hours.
Conclusion: C. spinosa can be effective in eliminating Giardia cyst of contaminated environments and water.
Keywords: Giardia lamblia, herbal extract, Capparis spinosa L, medicinal plants, anti-parasitic activity, pathogenic