Taher Elmi1, Bahman Rahimi Esboei2, Fatemeh Sadeghi1, Zahra Zamani3, Mojtaba Didehdar4, Mahdi Fakhar5, Aroona Chabra6, Fateme Hajialiani7, Mohammad Javad Namazi8,9, Fatemeh Tabatabaie10. 1. Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 2. Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Tonekabon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, Iran. 3. Biochemistry Department, Pasteur Institute of Iran, Pasteur Avenue, Tehran, Iran. 4. Department of Medical Mycology and Parasitology, Arak University of Medical Sciences, Arak, Iran. 5. Department of Parasitology, Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Iranian National Registry Center for Lophomoniasis and Toxoplasmosis, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran. 6. Department of Pharmacognosy and Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran. 7. Department of Medical Parasitology, School of Medicine, International Campus, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 8. Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Sabzevar University of Medical Sciences, Sabzevar, Iran. Mohammad.namazi@glasgow.ac.uk. 9. College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, the Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, Glasgow University, Glasgow, UK. Mohammad.namazi@glasgow.ac.uk. 10. Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. tabatabaei.f@iums.ac.ir.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Treatment of parasitic infections with conventional drugs is associated with high toxicity, and undesirable side effects require cogent substitutions. Nanotechnology has provided novel approaches to synthesize nano-drugs to improve efficient antipathetic treatment. PURPOSE: Nano-chitosan as a nontoxic antimicrobial agent was examined against three most prevalent protozoa in humans, Plasmodium falciparum, Giardia lamblia and Trichomonas vaginalis. METHODS: Chitosan extracted from Penicillium fungi was converted to nanoparticles to maximize its therapeutic properties. Safety of nano-chitosan was examined by determining its hemolytic property and toxicity on PC12 cells. The studied parasites were identified with RFLP-PCR and cultivation in relevant media. Characteristics of nano-chitosan as an useful and valuable curative compound was evaluated by FTIR, DLS and SEM. Dose dependent anti-parasitic effect of nano-chitosan was evaluated. RESULTS: The highest anti-parasitic activity of the nano-chitosan was observed at 50 μg/mL by which growth rates of cultivated P. falciparum, T. vaginalis and G. lamblia were inhibited by 59.5%, 99.4%, and 31.3%, respectively. The study demonstrated that nano-chitosan with the least toxicity, low side effects, and substantial efficacy deserved to be considered as an anti-parasitic nano-compound. CONCLUSION: Nano-chitosan significantly inhibited protozoan growth in vitro promising to explore its use to combat parasitic infections. Further investigations covering extended sample size, in vivo experiments and optimizing the concentration used may lead to efficient treatment of protozoan diseases.
BACKGROUND: Treatment of parasitic infections with conventional drugs is associated with high toxicity, and undesirable side effects require cogent substitutions. Nanotechnology has provided novel approaches to synthesize nano-drugs to improve efficient antipathetic treatment. PURPOSE:Nano-chitosan as a nontoxic antimicrobial agent was examined against three most prevalent protozoa in humans, Plasmodium falciparum, Giardia lamblia and Trichomonas vaginalis. METHODS: Chitosan extracted from Penicillium fungi was converted to nanoparticles to maximize its therapeutic properties. Safety of nano-chitosan was examined by determining its hemolytic property and toxicity on PC12 cells. The studied parasites were identified with RFLP-PCR and cultivation in relevant media. Characteristics of nano-chitosan as an useful and valuable curative compound was evaluated by FTIR, DLS and SEM. Dose dependent anti-parasitic effect of nano-chitosan was evaluated. RESULTS: The highest anti-parasitic activity of the nano-chitosan was observed at 50 μg/mL by which growth rates of cultivated P. falciparum, T. vaginalis and G. lamblia were inhibited by 59.5%, 99.4%, and 31.3%, respectively. The study demonstrated that nano-chitosan with the least toxicity, low side effects, and substantial efficacy deserved to be considered as an anti-parasitic nano-compound. CONCLUSION:Nano-chitosan significantly inhibited protozoan growth in vitro promising to explore its use to combat parasitic infections. Further investigations covering extended sample size, in vivo experiments and optimizing the concentration used may lead to efficient treatment of protozoan diseases.
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