Immunomodulatory and antiparasitic effects of garlic–arteether combination via nitric oxide pathway in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice

Abstract

Many reports indicate medicinal value of garlic (Allium sativum), a popular herbal medicine used worldwide, and its therapeutic effect against several diseases. Earlier studies in our laboratory have shown a potential therapeutic role of garlic-artemisinin combination in mice infected with Plasmodium berghei. A single dose of a, barteether with three oral doses of garlic provides almost 95% protection. The present study aims to understand the mode of action of this combination. We have documented the level of nitric oxide (NO), a key molecule of protection and have seen in the reversal of organ morphology caused by malaria infection. The combination effects on the (a) survival rate and degree of parasitemia and (b) NO levels in blood, liver, spleen and thymus of malaria-infected mice were investigated. During the study, liver, spleen and thymus cell suspensions were assessed for immunobiochemical alterations of NO levels. The increase in NO level after infection appears to be unable to protect, whereas striking increase in spleen and thymus leads to protection against infection, and is further confirmed by detection of increased inducible nitric oxide synthase mRNA expression levels in different organs by RT-PCR. In addition, the role of T cell subsets during combination treatment was also studied. All these results indicate a potential mechanism of protection through NO pathway in combination-treated animals after malaria infection and may lead to an immunotherapy trial of malaria disease.

Chemical Constituents and Pharmacological Activities of Garlic (Allium sativum L.): A Review

“…typhi, E. coli, and P. aeruginosa. Moreover, Vathsala and Murthy [138] revealed the potent immunomodulatory and anti-plasmodial effect of garlic-artemether combination treatment. They reported that this combined therapy may have a potential role in reducing organ injury and protecting against Plasmodium species by affecting NO production, suggesting novel treatment options against malaria [138,139].…”

An exhaustive comprehension of the role of herbal medicines in Pre- and Post-COVID manifestations

“…It works by modulation of immunoglobulin production, cytokinin secretion, macrophage activation, and phagocytosis ( Arreola et al, 2015 ). Several studies reported the immunomodulatory and antiviral effects of garlic and its components ( Prajapati et al, 2021 ; Vathsala and Murthy, 2020 ). Some researchers used the molecular docking method and investigated that alliin may be a functional inhibitor of SARS-COV-2 as compared to remdesivir, chloroquine, and ritonavir ( Cheng and Li, 2020 ).…”

The influence of plant extracts on viability of ST3 and ST7 subtypes of Blastocystis sp.

“…Garlic ( Allium sativum L.) possesses many beneficial and pharmacological properties in traditional and modern medicine, such as anticancer, antioxidant, antidiabetic, immunomodulatory, antithrombotic, and antimicrobial characteristics [ 20 , 21 ]. It has also anti-parasitic activity against Blastocystis spp., Cryptosporidium parvum , Giardia lamblia , Entamoeba histolytica , Leishmania tropica , L. major , Plasmodium spp., Trypanosoma spp., and Toxoplasma gondii [ 22 – 28 ]. The therapeutic properties of garlic are owed to the presence of the most bioactive and potent components, allicin and thiosulfate (sulfur-containing compounds) [ 14 ].…”