In vitro anti-Trichomonas gallinae effects of Ziziphus vulgaris L. and Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze extracts.

BACKGROUND: Trichomonas gallinae is a parasite that causes canker and severe loss and death, especially in young pigeons. Metronidazole (MTZ) is the recommended drug for treating avian trichomoniasis. Due to drug resistance, non-chemical alternatives, such as medicinal plant extracts, are also considered possible therapies for this disease. OBJECTIVES: This study compares the antitrichomonal effects of MTZ with extracts of Camellia sinensis and Ziziphus vulgaris on T. gallinae in vitro. METHODS: Samples of T. gallinae were taken from infected pigeons. Multi-well plates with different concentrations (5, 10, 25, 50 and 100 µg/mL) of plant extracts were used for the in vitro study. RESULTS: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of C. sinensis extract was 25 µg/mL over 24 h, compared to 50 µg/mL for MTZ. The MIC value of the Z. vulgaris extracts was 50 µg/mL. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that the extracts of Z. vulgaris and C. sinensis, as potential natural agents, could have anti-avian trichomoniasis properties. This study also shows that MTZ, C. sinensis and Z. vulgaris are equally effective in preventing the growth of T. gallinae trophozoites in the culture.

In Vitro anthelmintic efficacy of medicinal plant essential oils against Marshallagia marshalli: Evidence on oxidative/nitrosative stress biomarkers, DNA damage, and egg hatchability.

One of the major public health problems is drug resistance in parasitic diseases. It is therefore important to find new active ingredients to combat parasites. Herbal products such as essential oils (EOs) may show promise in treating infections caused by gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs). This study investigated the in vitro anthelmintic activity of the EOs of Lavandula angustifolia and Quercus infectoria against Marshallagia marshalli. The in vitro study was based on an egg hatch test (EHT), adult and larval motility inhibition tests, DNA damage, and several biomarkers of oxidative/nitrosative stress, including superoxide dismutase [SOD], catalase [CAT], and glutathione peroxidase [GSH -Px], protein carbonylation [PCO], malondialdehyde [MDA], total antioxidant status [TAS], and nitric oxide levels [NO]. Different concentrations of Lavandula angustifolia and Quercus infectoria EOs (1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 mg/ml) were used to determine the anthelmintic effect on three stages of the life cycle of M. marshalli, i.e. eggs, larvae and adult parasites, for 24 hr. The results showed that EOs of L. angustifolia and Q. infectoria play an important role as anthelmintics. These essential oils significantly reduced the egg hatching and motility of larval and adult worms. This anthelmintic effect is dependent on concentration and time. Furthermore, the EOs of L. angustifolia and Q. infectoria caused oxidative/nitrosative stress (reduced SOD, GSH-Px and CAT and increased MDA, PCO and NO) and DNA damage, thereby providing significant antihelminthic effects. Based on the results, it seems that the EOs extracted from L. angustifolia and Q. infectoria may be effective in the control and treatment of M. marshalli infections. Further research is needed to investigate their potential for in vivo use in the treatment of parasitic infections.

In vitro assessment of anti-Trichomonas effects of Zingiber officinale and Lavandula angustifolia alcoholic extracts on Trichomonas gallinae.

Trichomonas gallinae is a parasite that acts as a canker-causing agent and leads to significant loss and mortality, especially in young birds. Metronidazole is the approved drug used for the treatment of trichomoniasis. A non-chemical alternativess such as medical plant extracts are also used to treat this disease due to drug resistance. This study aimed to assess in vitro antitrichomonal effects of Lavandula angustifolia and Zingiber officinale extracts on T. gallinae compared with metronidazole. The T. gallinae samples were obtained from infected pigeons. Multi-well plates filled with different concentrations (5.00, 10.00, 25.00, 50.00, and 100 µg mL-1) were used to perform in vitro analysis. The Z. officinale extract's minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) in the 24-hr period was 25.00 µg mL-1, while it was 50.00 µg mL-1 for metronidazole. The MIC value obtained for L. angustifolia extract in 24-hr was 50.00 µg mL-1. The results indicated that the extracts of Z. officinale and L. angustifolia could act as potential natural agents against trichomoniasis. Furthermore, this study delineated the equal efficiency of L. angustifolia and Z. officinale with that of metronidazole in inhibiting the growth of Trichomonas gallinae trophozoites in culture media.