Anti-Cryptosporidium parvum activity of Artemisia judaica L. and its fractions: in vitro and in vivo assays

Abstract

BackgroundThis study investigates the toxic activity ofArtemisia judaicaethanolic extract (ArEx) as well as its phenolic fraction (ArPh), and terpenoid fraction (ArT) againstCryptosporidium parvum(C. parvum) oocysts.MethodsOver a 4 months period, estimation of the total phenolic (TPC), total flavonoids (TFC), and total terpenoids contents (TTC) in ArEx; investigation of thein vitroantioxidant activity of ArEx, ArPh, and ArT; evaluation of ArEx, ArPh, and ArT toxic activity againstC. parvumoocysts using MTT assay; parasitological analysis on ArPh-treatedC. parvumoocysts and comet assay were performed bothin vitroandin vivo(infectivity).ResultsThe ArEx TPC, TFC, and TTC was 52.6 ± 3.1 mgGAE/g, 64.5 ± 3.1 mg QE/g, and 9.5 ± 1.1 mg Linol/g, respectively. Regarding the phytochemicalin vitroantioxidant activity, the ArPh exhibited the highest antioxidant activity compared to the ArEx and ArT. The ArPh showed promising free radical scavenging activity of DPPH and ABTS•+with IC50values of 47.27 ± 1.86 μg/mL and 66.89 ± 1.94 μg/mL, respectively. Moreover, the FRAP of ArPh was 2.97 ± 0.65 mMol Fe+2/g while its TAC was 46.23 ± 3.15 mg GAE/g. The ArPh demonstrated toxic activity againstC. parvumoocysts with a potent IC50value of 31.6 μg/mL compared to ArT (promising) and ArEx (non-effective). ArPh parasitological analysis demonstrated MIC90at 1000 μg/ml and effective oocysts destruction on count and morphology. ArPh fragmented oocysts nuclear DNA in comet assay. Beginning at 200 μg/mL, ArPh-treated oocysts did not infect mice.ConclusionTo combatC. parvuminfection, the phenolic fraction ofA. judaicaL. shows promise as an adjuvant therapy or as a source of potentially useful lead structures for drug discovery.