Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Alexandria University, Egypt.
Parasitology Department, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Egypt.
Exp Parasitol. 2024 Nov;266:108843. doi: 10.1016/j.exppara.2024.108843. Epub 2024 Oct 5.
Praziquantel (PZQ) is the standard treatment for schistosomiasis; however, it is poorly effective on immature and juvenile worms. The present study aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of praziquantel loaded-chitosan nanoparticles (PZQ-CSNPs) on the 25 days old juvenile Schistosoma mansoni worms compared to PZQ and chitosan nanoparticles (CSNPs). It was conducted on 60 Swiss albino mice, including 20 control and 40 experimental mice. The control groups included healthy uninfected and infected non-treated mice. The experimental groups included mice infected treated on the 25th day with 400 mg/kg PZQ, 30 mg/kg CSNPs, 100 mg/kg, and 400 mg/kg PZQ-CSNPs. The results revealed that PZQ-CSNPs (100, 400 mg/kg) gave the best results substantiated by a remarkable decrease in worm burden, egg count, granuloma count and size compared to the other treatments. Moreover, it induced severe deformations of worm morphology regarding oral and ventral suckers, tegument, spines distribution, and male gynaecophoric canal. Liver enzymes and oxidative stress markers were significantly decreased while antioxidant activities were increased compared to control and other treated groups. In conclusion, a single dose of PZQ-CSNPs had significant antischistosomal therapeutic effects during the early maturation phase.
吡喹酮（PZQ）是血吸虫病的标准治疗方法；然而，它对未成熟和幼年虫的效果很差。本研究旨在评估载吡喹酮壳聚糖纳米粒（PZQ-CSNPs）对 25 日龄曼氏血吸虫幼体的治疗效果，与 PZQ 和壳聚糖纳米粒（CSNPs）进行比较。该研究在 60 只瑞士白化病小鼠上进行，包括 20 只对照组和 40 只实验组。对照组包括健康未感染和未治疗感染的小鼠。实验组包括在第 25 天用 400mg/kg PZQ、30mg/kg CSNPs、100mg/kg 和 400mg/kg PZQ-CSNPs 治疗感染的小鼠。结果表明，PZQ-CSNPs（100、400mg/kg）的效果最佳，其依据是与其他治疗方法相比，蠕虫负荷、虫卵计数、肉芽肿计数和大小显著减少。此外，它诱导了蠕虫形态的严重变形，涉及口腔和腹吸盘、表皮、棘分布和雄性生殖孔道。与对照组和其他治疗组相比，肝酶和氧化应激标志物显著降低，而抗氧化活性增加。总之，单次剂量的 PZQ-CSNPs 在早期成熟阶段具有显著的抗血吸虫治疗效果。
