Propolis is a bee product that has been used in medicine since ancient times. Although its anti‐inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antitumor, and immunomodulatory activities have been investigated, its anti‐parasitic properties remain poorly explored, especially regarding helminths. This review surveys the results obtained with propolis around the world against human parasites. Regarding protozoa, studies carried out with the protozoa Trypanosoma spp. and Leishmania spp. have demonstrated promising results in vitro and in vivo. However, there are fewer studies for Plasmodium spp., the etiological agent of malaria and less so for helminths, particularly for Fasciola spp. and Schistosoma spp. Despite the favorable in vitro results with propolis, helminth assays need to be further investigated. However, propolis has shown itself to be an excellent natural product for parasitology, thus opening new paths and approaches in its activity against protozoa and helminths.
This work presents a facile one‐pot fabrication of polyurea (PU) organogels based on polyetheramine (PEO, Jeffamine ED‐2003) and a crosslinker hexamethylene diisocyanate trimer (HDI) which were subsequently used as a drug carrier to incorporate a curcumin hydrophobic molecule in aqueous conditions and for removal of an anionic pollutant in water. PU can be obtained in different shapes with easy control of film thickness with high transparency, flexibility and homogeneous dispersion of curcumin in the matrix. Due to the hydrophilic nature of PEO a high swelling degree was demonstrated by the PU gel. The phase separated domains and the temperature's influence on the system's structural order/disorder were examined by small‐angle X‐ray scattering, showing a more PU ordered system (interface between hard and soft segments) after decreasing the temperature to −90 °C. The presence of curcumin in the structure of PU was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared, photoluminescence and release studies. A highly efficient removal of Congo red dye from aqueous solution using PU as adsorbent was observed. Moreover, the effect of unloaded and curcumin‐loaded PU gels was evaluated on Schistosoma mansoni adult worms. Detailed in vitro cell viability experiments showed the biocompatibility of loaded and unloaded PU gels. The easy processability of the multifunctional PU shows that it has promising applications as transdermal and soft tissue implantable delivery devices for a large number of poorly water‐soluble drugs and as an efficient adsorbent for removal of organic dyes; it can also be used in the future in dermatological treatments against malignant melanoma. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry
The chemotherapy of schistosomiasis remains centered in the use of praziquantel, however, there has been growing resistant parasites to this drug. Thus, the aim of this work was to evaluate in vitro schistosomicidal activity of the hexanes/dichloromethane 1 : 1 extract of Brazilian green propolis (Pex), as well as its major isolated compounds artepillin C, caffeic acid, coumaric acid and drupanin against Schistosoma mansoni. The Pex was active by displaying an IC50 value of 36.60 (26.26–51.13) μg mL−1 at 72 h against adult worms of S. mansoni. The major isolated compounds were inactive with IC50 values >100 μM, however, the combination of the isolated compounds (CM) in the same range found in the extract was active with an IC50 value of 41.17 (39.89–42.46) μg mL−1 at 72 h. Pex and CM induced alteration in the tegument of S. mansoni, and caffeic acid caused alteration in egg's maturation. Pex displayed in vitro activity against adult worms’ and eggs’ viability of S. mansoni, which opens new perspectives to better understand the synergistic and/or additive effects promoted by both Pex extract and CM against schistosomiasis features.
BACKGROUND Schistosomiasis control in endemic areas depends on several factors, including chemotherapy, snail control and adequate sanitation. In this context, the employment of compounds isolated from plants is an important issue regarding infection and snail control. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate the effects of curcumin (CUR), a compound isolated from Curcuma longa, against snails and embryos of Biomphalaria glabrata, which is the most important intermediate host of schistosomiasis in the Americas, as well as in cercariae, the infecting larval stage of Schistosoma mansoni. RESULTS CUR presented high activity against B. glabrata embryos and moderate activity against newborn and adult snails. The lethal concentration (LC50) values after being exposed for 24 h and evaluated for 7 days were 6.54 (95% confidence interval (CI) 5.86–7.30) μg mL−1 for the embryos and 42.29 (95% CI 33.82–52.87) μg mL−1 and 87.69 (95% CI 68.82–111.7) μg mL−1 for the newborn and adult snails, respectively. Moreover, CUR inhibited the development of embryos and egg hatching, and decreased the fecundity rates of adult snails. CUR also demonstrated cercaricidal activity with LC50 values lower than 10 μg mL−1 at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 h, respectively. CONCLUSION Our data show that CUR has potential molluscicidal and cercaricidal activities. Moreover, as a nutraceutical compound that is toxic to both invertebrate host and parasite, CUR has the potential to be explored as a safe new agent to combat schistosomiasis. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
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