THERAPEUTIC EFFICACY OF ARTEMISIA ANNUA ETHANOL EXTRACT VERSUS ALBENDAZOLE ON MIGRATING & ENCYSTED TRICHINELLA SPIRALIS LARVAE IN MICE

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

2 Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt

Abstract

Trichinellosis the gastro-intestinal (GI) and muscle (parenteral or systemic) are the 2 important
phases of the parasite cycle. Infection with Trichinella spiralis is dangerous, and severe
infections can be lethal affecting several organs including the liver and kidneys in addition to
the final habitat which is the muscles. The several side effects limit the benzimidazole derivatives
use. This study compared the antiparasitic action of ethanol extract of Artemisia annua
against migrating and encysted T. spiralis larvae in in experimentally infected mice to the
common helminthic used drug Albendazole®. Life cycle was developed in BALB/c mice by
oral infection with 300muscle larvae. Mice were divided into four groups. Treatments with
Albendazole and Artemisia annua ethanol extract were administered at the 15th day post infection
(PI). On the 30th PI, they were sacrificed to evaluate the treatment, histopathologically of
diaphragm, muscle, liver and kidneys to improvement. The Artemisia annua ethanol extract
was as effective as Albendazole against the T. spiralis larvae.

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