Amoebicidal and trichomonicidal capacity of polymeric nanoparticles loaded with extracts of the plants Curcuma longa (Zingiberaceae) and Berberis vulgaris (Berberidaceae) / Capacidad amebicida y tricomonicida de nanopartículas poliméricas cargadas con extractos de las plantas Curcuma longa (Zingiberaceae) y Berberis vulgaris (Berberidaceae)

Abstract Introduction: Pathogenic protozoans, like Entamoeba histolytica and Trichomonas vaginalis, represent a major health problem in tropical countries; and polymeric nanoparticles could be used to apply plant extracts against those parasites. Objective: To test Curcuma longa ethanolic extract and Berberis vulgaris methanolic extracts, and their main constituents, against two species of protozoans. Methods: We tested the extracts, as well as their main constituents, curcumin (Cur) and berberine (Ber), both non-encapsulated and encapsulated in polymeric nanoparticles (NPs), in vitro. We also determined nanoparticle characteristics by photon correlation spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, and hemolytic capacity by hemolysis in healthy erythrocytes. Results: C. longa consisted mainly of tannins, phenols, and flavonoids; and B. vulgaris in alkaloids. Encapsulated particles were more effective (P < 0.001); however, curcumin and berberine nanoparticles were the most effective treatments. CurNPs had IC50 values (µg/mL) of 9.48 and 4.25, against E. histolytica and T. vaginalis, respectively, and BerNPs 0.24 and 0.71. The particle size and encapsulation percentage for CurNPs and BerNPs were 66.5 and 73.4 nm, and 83.59 and 76.48 %, respectively. The NPs were spherical and significantly reduced hemolysis when compared to non-encapsulated extracts. Conclusions: NPs represent a useful and novel bioactive compound delivery system for therapy in diseases caused by protozoans.

Resumen Introducción: Los protozoos patógenos, como Entamoeba histolytica y Trichomonas vaginalis, representan un importante problema de salud en los países tropicales; y se podrían usar nanopartículas poliméricas para aplicar extractos de plantas contra esos parásitos. Objetivo: Probar los extractos etanólicos de Curcuma longa y Berberis vulgaris, y sus principales constituyentes, contra dos especies de protozoos. Métodos: Probamos los extractos, así como sus principales constituyentes, curcumina (Cur) y berberina (Ber), tanto no encapsulados como encapsulados en nanopartículas poliméricas (NPs), in vitro. También determinamos las características de las nanopartículas por espectroscopía de correlación de fotones y microscopía electrónica de barrido, y la capacidad hemolítica por hemólisis en eritrocitos sanos. Resultados: C. longa tenía principalmente: taninos, fenoles y flavonoides; y B. vulgaris, alcaloides. Las partículas encapsuladas fueron más efectivas (P < 0.001); sin embargo, las nanopartículas de curcumina y berberina fueron los tratamientos más efectivos. CurNPs tenía valores IC50 (µg/mL) de 9.48 y 4.25, contra E. histolytica y T. vaginalis, respectivamente, y BerNPs 0.24 y 0.71. El tamaño de partícula y el porcentaje de encapsulación para CurNPs y BerNPs fueron: 66.5 y 73.4 nm, y 83.59 y 76.48 %, respectivamente. Los NP son esféricos y redujeron significativamente la hemólisis en comparación con los extractos no encapsulados. Conclusiones: Las NP representan un sistema de administración de compuestos bioactivos útil y novedoso para la terapia enfermedades causadas por protozoos.

Lesiones cutáneas en el personal sanitario secundarias al uso de equipo de protección personal frente al Covid-19 / Skin lesions in health personnel secondary to the use of personal protective equipment against Covid-19

Objetivo principal: Determinar la prevalencia de lesiones cutáneas en el personal sanitario relacionadas al uso del equipo de protección personal (EPP) durante la pandemia por SARS-CoV-2. Metodología: Se realizó un estudio transversal, descriptivo y cuantitativo; se aplicó un cuestionario a personal médico y de enfermería que atendieron pacientes con Covid-19, se cuantificaron las reacciones adversas más frecuentes ocasionadas por: mascarillas, guantes, lentes, ropa protectora y alcohol gel. Resultados principales: Participaron 90 personas, de las cuales 81 (90%) presentaron lesiones cutáneas asociadas al EPP. El accesorio que ocasionó más lesiones fue la mascarilla (87,7%), seguido de lentes (85,5%) y alcohol gel (82,2%). La reacción más frecuente por mascarillas fue úlcera en puente nasal (68,9%); en los lentes fue lesión por presión en frente (76,7%); y por el uso de alcohol gel fue resequedad (75,5%). Conclusión principal: El uso prolongado (>5 horas horas) del EPP puede ocasionar efectos adversos cutáneos en el personal sanitario. La mascarilla fue el aditamento que más generó lesiones cutáneas, siendo la úlcera por presión en puente nasal la más frecuente.(AU)

Objective: To measure the prevalence of skin lesions in health personnel related to the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive and quantitative study was carried out; A questionnaire was applied to medical and nursing staff who treated patients with COVID-19, the most frequent adverse reactions caused by: masks, gloves, glasses, protective clothing and alcohol gel were quantified. Results: 90 people participated, of which 81 (90%) presented skin lesions associated with PPE. The accessory that caused the most injuries was the mask (87.7%), followed by glasses (85.5%) and alcohol gel (82.2%). The most frequent reaction to masks was nasal bridge ulcer (68.9%); in glasses it was pressure injury to the forehead (76.7%); and due to the use of alcohol gel it was dryness (75.5%). Conclusions: Prolonged use (>5 hours) of PPE can cause adverse skin effects in healthcare personnel. The mask was the accessory that generated the most skin lesions, with pressure ulcers on the nasal bridge being the most frequent.(AU)

Furanocoumarins from Ruta chalepensis with Amebicide Activity.

Entamoeba histolytica (protozoan; family Endomoebidae) is the cause of amoebiasis, a disease related to high morbidity and mortality. Nowadays, this illness is considered a significant public health issue in developing countries. In addition, parasite resistance to conventional medicinal treatment has increased in recent years. Traditional medicine around the world represents a valuable source of alternative treatment for many parasite diseases. In a previous paper, we communicated about the antiprotozoal activity in vitro of the methanolic (MeOH) extract of Ruta chalepensis (Rutaceae) against E. histolytica. The plant is extensively employed in Mexican traditional medicine. The following workup of the MeOH extract of R. chalepensis afforded the furocoumarins rutamarin (1) and chalepin (2), which showed high antiprotozoal activity on Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites employing in vitro tests (IC50 values of 6.52 and 28.95 µg/mL, respectively). Therefore, we offer a full scientific report about the bioguided isolation and the amebicide activity of chalepin and rutamarin.

In Vitro Effect of Methanolic Extract of Argemone mexicana against Trichomonas vaginalis.

Infections caused by Trichomonas vaginalis in humans are one of the main public health problems caused by sexually transmitted diseases. Objective of this study was to evaluate potential biological activity of the medicinal plant Argemone mexicana (Mexican poppy) on T. vaginalis. Methanolic extracts of the stems and leaves of A. mexicana, and different fractions were prepared with solvents of different polarities. The extracts and functional groups were detected containing sterols, triterpenes, quinones, flavonoids and, alkaloids. Extracts from both the stems and leaves of A. mexicana inhibited the growth of T. vaginalis with half-maximal inhibitory concentration value of 70.6 and 67.2 µg/ml, respectively. In the active fractions, the most abundant compounds were berberine and jatrorrhizine, with presumed antiparasitic activity.

Trichomonas vaginalis and Giardia lamblia Growth Alterations by Low-Frequency Electromagnetic Fields.

BACKGROUND: There is an increasing interest in using physical factors such as magnetic fields as antimicrobial strategy, with variable results. The current study was aimed to evaluate the influence of extremely low-frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMFs) on the axenically-cultured parasite protozoans Trichomonas vaginalis and Giardia lamblia growth. METHODS: Bioassays were developed using T. vaginalis, GT-13 and G. lamblia IMSS-0989 strains cultured at 37 ºC in TYI-S-33 medium. The following treatment regimens and controls were considered: (a) cells exposed to ELF-EMFs, (b) untreated cells, (c) cells treated with Metronidazole, used as positive controls, and (d) cells co-exposed to ELF-EMFs and Metronidazole. When cultures reached the end of logarithmic phase, they were exposed to ELF-EMFs for 72 h, in a standardized magnetic field exposure facility. For determining cytotoxic effects, trophozoite density was blindly evaluated in a Neubauer chamber. RESULTS: A significant decrease in trophozoite growth was observed for T. vaginalis, in magnetic field-treated cultures. On the other hand, cultures co-exposed to ELF-EMFs and Metronidazole showed no significant differences when compared with cultures treated with Metronidazole alone. On the contrary, an increased trophozoite density was observed in G. lamblia cultures after exposure to magnetic fields. An absence of a synergistic or antagonistic effect was observed. CONCLUSION: ELF-EMFs induced T. vaginalis and G. lamblia growth alterations, indicating a potential effect in cell cycle progression.

Antiprotozoal activity against Entamoeba histolytica of plants used in northeast Mexican traditional medicine. Bioactive compounds from Lippia graveolens and Ruta chalepensis.

Amoebiasis caused by Entamoeba histolytica is associated with high morbidity and mortality is becoming a major public health problem worldwide, especially in developing countries. Because of the side-effects and the resistance that pathogenic protozoa build against the standard antiparasitic drugs, e.g., metronidazole, much recent attention has been paid to plants used in traditional medicine around the world in order to find new antiprotozoal agents. We collected 32 plants used in Northeast Mexican traditional medicine and the methanolic extracts of these species were screened for antiprotozoal activity against E. histolytica trophozoites using in vitro tests. Only 18 extracts showed a significant inhibiting activity and among them six plant extracts showed more than 80% growth inhibition against E. histolytica at a concentration of 150 µg/mL and the IC50 values of these extracts were determined. Lippia graveolens Kunth and Ruta chalepensis Pers. showed the more significant antiprotozoal activity (91.54% and 90.50% growth inhibition at a concentration of 150 µg/mL with IC50 values of 59.14 and 60.07 µg/mL, respectively). Bioassay-guided fractionation of the methanolic extracts from these two plants afforded carvacrol (1) and chalepensin (2), respectively, as bioactive compounds with antiprotozoal activity.

Sphingomyelinase activity of Trichomonas vaginalis extract and subfractions.

Trichomoniasis is one of the most common acute sexually transmitted curable diseases, and it is disseminated worldwide generating more than 170 million cases annually. Trichomonas vaginalis is the parasite that causes trichomoniasis and has the ability to destroy cell monolayers of the vaginal mucosa in vitro. Sphingomyelinases (SMase) are enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of sphingomyelin into ceramide and phosphorylcholine. Ceramide appears to be a second messenger lipid in programmed apoptosis, cell differentiation, and cell proliferation. Sphingomyelinase is probably a major source of ceramide in cells. Signal transduction mediated by ceramide leads cells to produce cytokine induced apoptosis during several inflammatory responses. SMase are also relevant toxins in several microorganisms. The main objective of this research is to identify SMase activity of T. vaginalis in the total extract (TE), P30, and S30 subfractions from brooked trophozoites. It was found that these fractions of T. vaginalis have SMase activity, which comes principally from P30 subfraction and was mainly type C. Enzymatic activity of SMase increased linearly with time and is pH dependent with two peaks by pH 5.5 and pH 7.5. The addition of manganese to the reaction mixture increased the SMase activity by 1.97.

Axenic cultivation and comparative phospholipase A2 activity of Giardia duodenalis in a serum-free medium.

Mammalian serum is essential for the growth of Giardia duodenalis cultivated under axenic conditions. Unfortunately, some factors present in bovine serum used as supplement in the culture medium may inhibit protozoal growth and activity. TYI-33-PACSR is a TYI medium supplemented with a serum replacement (PACSR) made up of Earle's amino acid solution, Diamond's vitamin-tween 80 mixtures and LCR (a lipid-cholesterol - rich mixture). PACSR was previously used in the culture media for axenic cultivation of Entamoeba histolytica and Trichomonas vaginalis. The main objective of this work was to demonstrate that TYI-33-PACSR is useful for axenic cultivation of G. duodenalis. Additionally, the activity of phospholipase A(2) (PLA A(2)) in the sub-cellular vesicular fraction (P30) of G. duodenalis grown in TYI-S-33 and TYI-33-PACSR was compared. All strains of Giardia grown in TYI-33-PACSR reached relative cellular densities of 91 to 95% compared to controls growing in serum-supplemented TYI-S-33 medium. Additionally, PLA A(2) activity was similar in the P30 sub-cellular fraction obtained from trophozoites growing in TYI-S-33 and TYI-33-PACSR. Thus, TYI-33-PACSR could be useful in analyzing the biological properties of G. duodenalis in the absence of serum.