abstract
Cystic hydatid disease (CHD) is a zoonotic disease with different clinical stages caused by the larval stage of the cestode Echinococcus granulosus. It is important to highlight as a public health problem in various regions of the world. In the current study, the efficacy and apoptotic activity of the liposomal system containing juglone (5-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone) were assessed against protoscoleces (PSCs) in vitro. To this aim, firstly, liposomal vesicles were prepared by the thin-film method. Their physico-chemical features were assessed using Zeta-Sizer and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Subsequently, various concentrations (50, 100, 200, 400, and 800 mu g/mL) of juglone nanoliposomes at different exposure times (15, 30, 60, and 120 min) were used against PSCs. Results showed that juglone nanoliposomes at all tested concentrations induced scolicidal effect, however, 800 mu g/mL and 400 mu g/mL of juglone nanoliposomes could reach 100% mortality in 60 and 120 min, respectively. Additionally, we found that caspase-3 mRNA expression was higher in PSCs treated with juglone nanoliposomes compared to control groups (p < 0.001). Therefore, juglone nanoliposomes are suggested to have a more potent apoptotic effect on PSCs. Generally, optimized doses of juglone nanoliposomes could display significant scolicidal effects. Moreover, further in vivo studies are required to evaluate the efficacy of this nanoliposome.
keywords
IN-VITRO; ALBENDAZOLE SULFOXIDE
subject category
Chemistry, Medicinal; Pharmacology & Pharmacy
authors
Moghadaszadeh, M; Khayyati, M; Spotin, A; Norouzi, R; Pagheh, AS; Oliveira, SMR; Pereira, MD; Ahmadpour, E
our authors
Maria de Lourdes Gomes Pereira
Associate Professor with Aggregation
Sónia M. R. Oliveira
Junior Researcheracknowledgements
This study was part of the M.Sc. thesis of Mehdi Khayyati and financially supported by Immunology Research Center and School of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran (Grant number 59192). M.d.L.P. thanks to project CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials, UIDB/50011/2020 and UIDP/50011/2020, national funds by FCT/MCTES.