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. 2020 Oct 5:11:73-80.
doi: 10.2147/RRTM.S248604. eCollection 2020.

In vitro Effects of Punica granatum Ellagitannins on Adult Worms of Schistosoma mansoni

Khalid H Abozeid  1 , Mohamed F El-Badawy  2   3 , Soheir Mahmoud  4 , Mohamed M Shohayeb  5
Affiliations

In vitro Effects of Punica granatum Ellagitannins on Adult Worms of Schistosoma mansoni

Khalid H Abozeid et al. Res Rep Trop Med. .

Abstract

Schistosomiasis ranks second behind malaria in terms of overall morbidity and mortality. We evaluated the lethal effect of Punica granatum ellagitannins, extracted from the fruit rind, placenta and barks of the root and stem, on adult worms of Schistosoma mansoni (S. mansoni). All four ellagitannins were lethal to S. mansoni adult worms. However, while the rind ellagitannins were the most potent, placental ellagitannins were the least. Rind ellagitannins were capable of killing 40% of adult worms at a concentration of 25µg/mL after 5 days. The killing of 100% of the worms was achievable by rind ellagitannins at a concentration of 50µg/mL after 5 days. The LD50S of the rind ellagitannins after 96h and 120h were 41.25 µg/mL and 28.73 respectively. Ellagitannins-treated worms suffered from erosions, wrinkles, swellings and losses, degenerations of the surface tubercles and tegument. In addition, ellagitannins induced deformation and degradation of oral and ventral suckers and degenerations in the muscles of worms. Ellagitannins also caused a separation of coupled worms and reduction of their motility. Data obtained suggest that ellagitannins of pomegranate could be considered as a cheap candidate for the treatment of schistosomiasis.

Keywords: Punica granatum; Schistosoma mansoni; ellagitannins; praziquantel; tegument.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there is no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Lethal effect of P. granatum ellagitannins on Schistosoma mansoni adult worms after different time intervals.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Scanning electron micrograph of adult male S. mansoni. (A) normal topography of the tegument; (B) P. granatum rind ellagitannins-treated adult male with degenerating tegumental changes; (C) normal tubercles of adult male S. mansoni; (D) distorted tubercles of adult male S. mansoni exposed to 50 µg/mL P. granatum rind ellagitannins for 72h; (E) normal appearance of oral and ventral suckers of untreated adult male S. mansoni; (F) oral and ventral suckers of adult male S. mansoni exposed to 50 µg/mL P.granatum rind ellagitannins for 72h. Arrows point to fusions of some edges of the gynaecophoric canal.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Histological sections of adult male worms of S.mansoni, stained by haematoxylin and eosin. The stained sections were examined using oil immersion lens of the light microscope. (A) untreated worms; (B) worm treated with 50µg/mL rind ellagitannins for 24 h; (C) worm treated with 50g/mL rind ellagitannins for 48h. Arrows point to tubercles (a), subtegumental circular musculature (b) and longitudinal musculature (c).
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