Antischistosomal effects of Ficus carica leaves extract and/or PZQ on Schistosoma mansoni infected mice.

Currently, praziquantel (PZQ) is the only drug of choice used for treatment of human schistosomes because of its safety and broad-spectrum activity. It is reported that the repeated chemotherapy is complicated by the occurrence of drug resistance to schistosomiasis. So there is an urgent need to develop new drug combinations therapy. The current study aimed to evaluate antischistosomal activity of F. carica leaves extract alone or in combination with PZQ on Schistosoma mansoni infected mice. Mice were experimentally infected with Schistosoma mansoni and orally administrated 6 weeks' post-infection with Fig leaves extract and/or PZQ. Schistosoma mansoni (S. mansoni)-infected mice were separated into four groups: untreated (I), treated with PZQ in dose of 200 mg/kg bw (II), treated with Fig leaves extract dose of 400 mg/kg bw (III). Group IV was treated with dose of Fig leaves extract-PZQ as in groups II and III, respectively. The effect was detected parasitologically using ova count technique and oogram pattern in intestine and liver. The greatest antischistosomal effect was achieved using orally administered Fig leaves extract-PZQ as indicated by total worm burden, tissue egg count and oogram pattern. Fig leaves extract + PZQ induced the therapeutic efficacy over the PZQ dose alone in intestine and liver as shown by a complete absence of immature worms, a very high reduction in the total numbers of tissue egg load (59.81% vs. 61.43% & 67.96% vs. 73.46%), mature eggs (37.86 ± 1.4 vs. 34.14 ± 1.9) and increasing in the total number of dead eggs (62.14 ± 1.4vs.67.29 ± 1.76). The results suggested the curcumin in combination with PZQ as a strong schistosomicidal regimen against S. mansoni. In addition, F. carica leaves extract is a promising for PZQ potentiating its antischistosomal action in animal model infected with S. mansoni. Therefore, the present work conclude that combined treatment has a synergetic effect and could be more promising in the management of schistosomiasis.

Accumulation of nine heavy metals in water and gills, intestine and digenean parasites of the silver catfish, Bagrus bajad Forskål, 1775.

Bioindicator value of digenean parasites (Acanthostomum absconditum, Acanthostomum spiniceps and Haplorchoides cahirinus) of silver catfish, Bagrus bajad was assessed by analyzing the concentrations of nine heavy metals (Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cd, Cr, Mn, Co, and Pb) using atomic absorption spectrometry. Additionally, the study compared heavy metals concentrations in four sinks (water, gills, intestine and digenean worms) from two aquatic habitats (the upstream and downstream) of the Damietta Branch of the River Nile from January to December, 2018. The results revealed that iron and manganese were the most abundant metals in water, gills, intestine and digenean worms at both the upstream and downstream aquatic habitats. In addition, the digenean worms of B. bajad inhabiting these two localities accumulated higher amounts of all analyzed heavy metals than water, gills and intestine (especially iron and manganese), except for chromium, the highest level of which was encountered in the gill tissues. The seasonal variations of heavy metals indicated their highest concentration in summer (for water, gills, intestine and digenean worms) and lowest concentration in autumn and winter (for water, gills and intestine), and in winter and spring (for digenean parasites). The results confirmed that the digenean intestinal parasites accumulate heavy metals pollutants in a significant manner and are important model for monitoring pollution.