Antiparasitic Effects and Cellular Mechanism of Astragalus maximus Chloroform Extract Against Clinical Isolates of Giardia lamblia

Document Type : Original paper

Authors

1 Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran.

2 Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Thiqar, Thiqar, Iraq.

3 Student Research Committee, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran.

4 Razi Herbal Medicines Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran.

Abstract

Background and objectives:  Chemical drugs such as metronidazole, quinacrine and furazolidone are used to treat giardiasis. Although these drugs are useful in most cases, they are associated with some side effects. The present investigation was designed to evaluate the antiparasitic effects and cellular mechanisms of Astragalus maximus chloroformic extract against both trophozoites and cysts of Giardia. Methods:  The extraction was done based on the maceration method with 70% methanol. The in vitro anti-Giardia effects of various concentrations of A. maximus extract (11.25, 22.5, and 450 mg/mL) were evaluated on cysts and trophozoites of G. lamblia for 15-360 min. In addition, the effects on the plasma membrane permeability and the induction of apoptosis in the trophozoites of G. lamblia were studied. Results: Astragalus maximus extract significantly (p<0.0001) declined the viability of cysts of G. lamblia; in both concentrations of 22.5 mg/mL and 45 mg/mL, the extract killed 100% of G. lamblia cysts after 240 and 360 min of incubation. The results also showed that the extract in both concentrations of 22.5 mg/mL and 45 mg/mL, killed 100% of G. lamblia trophozoites after 120 and 240 min incubation The findings revealed that treatment of G. lamblia trophozoites with A. maximus extract increased the permeability of the plasma membrane in a dose dependent response. The extract, especially at the concentration of 10 mg/mL, significantly (p<0.001) induced caspase-3 activation. Conclusion: The present study showed the promising in vitro antiparasitic effects of A. maximus extract against both trophozoites and cysts of G. lamblia by affecting the permeability of the plasma membrane and induction of apoptosis. Further investigations especially in animal models and clinical setting are required to clarify the accurate efficacy and mechanisms against G. lamblia infection.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

  • Adam RD. Biology of Giardia lamblia. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2001; 14(3): 447–475.
  • Laishram S, Kang G, Ajjampur SS. Giardiasis: a review on assemblage distribution and epidemiology in India. Indian J Gastroenterol. 2012; 31(1): 3–12.
  • Hooshyar H, Rostamkhani P, Arbabi M, Delavari M. Giardia lamblia infection: review of current diagnostic strategies. Gastroenterol Hepatol Bed Bench. 2019; 12(1): 3–12.
  • Abasian L, Bazyar A, Shirbazo S, Sayehmiri K, Ahmad N. Prevalence of Giardia lamblia in Iran: a systematic review and meta-analysis study. Res Med. 2013; 36(5): 111–116.
  • Thompson SC. Giardia lamblia in children and the child care setting: a review of the literature. J Paediatr Child Health. 1994; 30(3): 202–209.
  • Hezarjaribi HZ, Elmi T, Dayer MS, Gholami S, Fakhar M, Akbariqomi M, Ghaffarifar F. A systematic review of the effects of Iranian pharmaceutical plant extracts on Giardia lamblia. Asian Pacific J Trop Dis. 2015; 5(12): 925–929.
  • Escobedo AA, Cimerman S. Giardiasis: a pharmacotherapy review. Expert Opin Pharmacother. 2007; 8(12): 1885–1902.
  • Mirabi P, Alamolhoda SH, Esmaeilzadeh S, Mojab F. Effect of medicinal herbs on primary dysmenorrhea, a systematic review. Iranian J Pharm Res. 2014; 13(3): 757–767.
  • Forouzanfar F, Hosseinzadeh H. Medicinal herbs in the treatment of neuropathic pain: a review. Iranian J Basic Med Sci. 2018; 21(4): 347–358.
  • Rios JL, Waterman PG. A review of the pharmacology and toxicology of Astragalus. Phytother Res. 1997; 11(6): 411–418.
  • Li X, Qu L, Dong Y, Han L, Liu E, Fang S, Zhang Y, Wang T. A review of recent research progress on the Astragalus Molecules. 2014; 19(11): 18850–18880.
  • Shahrajabian MH, Sun W, Cheng Q. A review of Astragalus species as foodstuffs, dietary supplements, a traditional Chinese medicine and a part of modern pharmaceutical science. Appl Ecol Environ Res. 2019; 17(6): 13371–13382.
  • Miraj S, Kiani S. Astragalus membranaceus: a review study of its anti-carcinoma activities. Der Pharmacia Lettre. 2016; 8(6): 59–65.
  • Ghasemian-Yadegari J, Nazemiyeh H, Asnaashari S, Fathiazad F. Chemical characterization of the essential oil from aerial parts of Astragalus maximus from Northwest of Iran. Adv Biosci Clin Med. 2015; 3(3): 32–39.
  • Turgut-Kara N, Arı S. Micropropagation of Astragalus maximus Biotechnol Biotechnol Equip. 2006; 20(1): 20–22.
  • Niazi M, Saki M, Sepahvand M, Jahanbakhsh S, Khatami M, Beyranvand M. In vitro and ex vivo scolicidal effects of Olea europaea to inactivate the protoscolecs during hydatid cyst surgery. Ann Med Surg. 2019; 42: 7–10.
  • Asgharian P, Ghalbi Z, Sarvari Y, Delazar A, Bamdad S, Asnaashari S. Phytochemical and antimalarial effects of Ecballium elaterium (L.) rich. growing in Iran. Jundishapur J Nat Pharm Prod. 2021; 16(2): 1–6.
  • Singleton VL, Orthofer R, Lamuela-Raventós RM. Analysis of total phenols and other oxidation substrates and antioxidants by means of Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. Methods Enzymol. 1999; 299: 152–178.
  • Phuyal N, Jha PK, Raturi PP, Rajbhandary S. Total phenolic, flavonoid contents, and antioxidant activities of fruit, seed, and bark extracts of Zanthoxylum armatum Sci World J. 2020; Article ID 8780704.
  • Malekifard F, Tavassoli M, Vaziri K. In vitro assessment antiparasitic effect of selenium and copper nanoparticles on Giardia deodenalis Iranian J Parasitol. 2020; 15(3): 411–417.
  • Azadbakht M, Sajjadi SM, Rostami J. Giardiacidal activity of three Allium species on Giardia intestinal is cysts. Iran J Basic Med Sci. 2003; 6(3): 184–188.
  • Bingham AK, Meyer EA. Giardia excystation can be induced in vitro in acidic solutions. Nature. 1979; 277(5694): 301–302.
  • Gholami S, Azadbakht M, Ziaei Hezarjaribi H, Rahimi-Esboei B. Anti-giardial activity of chloroformic extract of Tanacetum parthenium and Artemisia annua in vitro. Res Molecul Med. 2014; 2(1): 46–51.
  • Saeed A, Sultana B, Anwar F, Mushtaq M, Alkharfy KM, Gilani AH. Antioxidant and antimutagenic potential of seeds and pods of green cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum). Int J Pharmacol. 2014; 10(8): 461–469.
  • Ezzatkhah F, Khalaf AK, Mahmoudvand H. Copper nanoparticles: biosynthesis, characterization, and protoscolicidal effects alone and combined with albendazole against hydatid cyst protoscoleces. Biomed Pharmacother. 2021; 136: 1–8.
  • Arji G, Safdari R, Rezaeizadeh H, Abbassian A, Mokhtaran M, Ayati MH. A systematic literature review and classification of knowledge discovery in traditional medicine. Comput Methods Programs Biomed. 2019; 168: 39–57.
  • Yang X, Huang B, Chen J, Huang S, Zheng H, Lun ZR, Shen J, Wang Y, Lu F. In vitro effects of aqueous extracts of Astragalus membranaceus and Scutellaria baicalensis GEORGI on Toxoplasma gondii. Parasitol Res. 2012; 110(6): 2221–2227.
  • Abdel-Tawab H, Abdel-Baki AS, El-Mallah AM, Al-Quraishy S, Abdel-Haleem HM. In vivo and in vitro anticoccidial efficacy of Astragalus membranaceus against Eimeria papillata J King Saud Univ Sci. 2020; 32(3): 2269–2275.
  • Mikaeili A, Karimi I, Shamspur T, Gholamine B, Modaresi M, Khanlari A. Anti-candidal activity of Astragalus verus in the in vitro and in vivo Guinea pig models of cutaneous and systemic candidiasis. Rev Bras Farmacogn. 2012; 22(5): 1035–1043.
  • Kanaan H, El-Mestrah M, Sweidan A, As-Sadi F, Al Bazzal A, Chokr A. Screening for antibacterial and antibiofilm activities in Astragalus angulosus. J Intercult Ethnopharmacol. 2017; 6(1): 50–57.
  • Khan MN, Ahmed M, Khan MW, El-Mestrah M, Sweidan A, As-Sadi F, Al Bazzal A, Chokr A. In vitro pharmacological effects of Astragalus eremophilus and Melilotus parviflora. Acta Biol Hung. 2018; 69(4): 411–422.
  • Hohenberger P, Eing C, Straessner R, Durst S, Frey W, Nick P. Plant actin controls membrane permeability. Biochim Biophys Acta Biomembr. 2011; 1808(9): 2304–2312.
  • Portt L, Norman G, Clapp C, Greenwood M, Greenwood MT. Anti-apoptosis and cell survival: a review. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Cell Res. 2011; 1813(1): 238–259.
  • Bratkov VM, Shkondrov AM, Zdraveva PK, Krasteva IN. Flavonoids from the genus Astragalus: phytochemistry and biological activity. Pharmacogn Rev. 2016; 10(19): 11–32.
  • Jun YM, Kim EH, Lim JJ, Kim SH, Kim SH, Lim JD, Cheoi DS, Cheoi YS, Yu CY, Chung IM. Variation of phenolic compounds contents in cultivated Astragalus membranaceus. Korean J Med Crop Sci. 2012; 20(6): 447–453.
  • Górniak I, Bartoszewski R, Króliczewski J. Comprehensive review of antimicrobial activities of plant flavonoids. Phytochem Rev. 2019; 18(1): 241–272.
  • Panche AN, Diwan AD, Chandra SR. Flavonoids: an overview. J Nutr Sci. 2016; 5: 1–15.
  • Miklasińska-Majdanik M, Kępa M, Wojtyczka RD, Idzik D, Wąsik TJ. Phenolic compounds diminish antibiotic resistance of Staphylococcus aureus clinical strains. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2018; 15(10): 1–18.
  • Othman L, Sleiman A, Abdel-Massih RM. Antimicrobial activity of polyphenols and alkaloids in Middle Eastern plants. Frontiers 2019; 10: 1–28.
Research Journal of Pharmacognosy
Volume 9, Issue 3
July 2022
Pages 5-13

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics