Therapeutic effects of Sophora moorcroftiana alkaloids in combination with albendazole in mice experimentally infected with protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to determine if the combination of alkaloids from Sophora moorcroftiana seeds and albendazole might be effective in the treatment of experimental echinococcosis in female NIH mice (6 weeks old and weighing 18-20 g, N = 8 in each group) infected with protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus. Viable protoscolices (N = 6 x 10 3 ) were cultured in vitro in 1640 medium and mortality was calculated daily. To determine the in vivo efficacy, mice were inoculated intraperitoneally with viable protoscolices and then treated once daily by gavage for three months with the alkaloids (50 mg kg -1 day -1 ) and albendazole (50 mg kg -1 day -1 ), separately and in combination (both alkaloids at 25 mg kg -1 day -1 and albendazole at 25 mg kg -1 day -1 ). Next, the hydatid cysts collected from the peritoneal cavity of the animals were weighed and serum IL-4, IL-2, and IgE levels were analyzed. Administration of alkaloids to cultured protoscolices showed significant dose-and time-dependent killing effects. The weight of hydatid cysts was significantly decreased upon treatment with each drug (P < 0.01), but the decrease was more prominent and the rate of hydatid cyst growth inhibition was much higher (76.1%) in the group receiving the combined treatments (18.3 ± 4.6 mg). IL-4 and total IgE were decreased (939 ± 447 pg/mL and 2.03 ± 0.42 IU/mL, respectively) in serum from mice treated with alkaloids and albendazole compared with the untreated control (1481 ± 619 pg/mL and 3.31 ± 0.37 IU/mL; P < 0.01). These results indicate that S. moorcroftiana alkaloids have protoscolicidal effects and the combination of alkaloids and albendazole has significant additive effects.

Flavonoids from Sophora moorcroftiana and their Synergistic Antibacterial Effects on MRSA

“…Among the medical effects of this plant, antitoxic and anti‐inflammatory effects are the most widely known (Editorial board for Tibet Medicine, ). Anti‐echinococcosis (Ma et al ., ), protein oxidative modification inhibitory activity (Toda and Shirataki, ) and anticancer activity (Ma et al ., ) have also been reported previously. Prenylflavanones and flavonostilbenes constituents were isolated from the roots and seeds of S. moorcroftiana (Shirataki et al ., ; ).…”

Efficacy of Cyperus Rotundus Rhizomes-Tubers Extracts Against Protoscoleces of Echinococcus Granulosus

“…[50] Moreover Soumaya et al, [33] showed in phytochemical study of C.rotundus extracts the presence of total poly phenol, flavonoids compounds and tannins, also they identified orientin as one among other flavonoids and they considered it has potential role in biological activity of the extracts and it may be influence the antioxidant and apoptotic activity specifically in the alcoholic extract. [51] In the present study, as far as the extracts were as crude form and probably contain many compounds which may act synergistically, so it is difficult to decide which compound is responsible for the protoscolicidal effect.…”

The Investigation of the Effect and Mechanism of Sophora moorcroftiana Alkaloids in Combination with Albendazole on Echinococcosis in an Experimental Rats Model

“…The main composition of alkaloids in the seed decoction includes oxymatrine, sophora, sophorine, and matrine, which was also used as an emetic, detoxicant, and antiphlogistic and in verminosis in traditional Chinese medicine [ 7 , 8 ]. Clinically, its seeds decoction is combined with albendazole to treat echinococcosis [ 9 ]. It was reported that the alkaloids from Sophora moorcroftiana is the potential active ingredient in this folk medicine [ 7 , 10 ].…”