Synergistic Interaction of Chloroquine with Semipolar Extract Against : Histopathological and Immunological Studies in a Mouse Model.

BACKGROUND

Malaria parasites have gradually developed resistance to commonly used antimalarial drugs. For decades, chloroquine was the most widely used drug to eradicate malaria. However, with the spread of chloroquine resistance, many countries have adopted combination therapies that utilize two drugs acting synergistically instead of monotherapy. In this study, the synergistic effect of chloroquine and the semipolar extract of . Semipolar extract (SPE) was investigated in vivo through pathological and parasitological studies on mouse model.

METHODS

Sixty female Balb/c mice infected with the () parasite were treated with different concentrations of the semipolar extract of (SPE) according to the protocol. The mean percentage of parasitemia, the mean survival time of the mice, the serum levels of IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-17, and TGF-β, and the effects of the SPE on the kidney, spleen, and liver tissues were investigated and compared across different treatment groups. The data were analyzed using Bonferroni, ANOVA, and Tukey tests.

RESULTS

The semipolar extract of (SPE) demonstrated better therapeutic effects in both synergistic and monotherapy conditions compared to chloroquine alone. The combination of chloroquine and SPE resulted in the lowest parasitemia rate, the highest percentage of parasite inhibition, and the longest average survival time. Pathological studies showed no signs of acute toxicity in the organs.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that using chloroquine in combination with semipolar extract has synergistic effects in reducing parasitemia, enhancing the inhibitory effect on parasite growth and reproduction, and balancing the host immune system.