Ameliorative effect of Calotropis procera and/or praziquantel on Shistosoma mansoni infected mice

Abstract

Seventy albino mice were infected with~ 80 S. mansoni cercariae and were classified into: (a) infected non-treated group (G.I), (b), treated group with C. procera alcoholic extract after infection (therapeutic group G. II) (c), treated group with C. procera aqueous extract after infection (therapeutic group G.III) (d) treated group with C. procera alcoholic extract before infection (prophylactic alcoholic group G. IV), (E), treated group with C. procera aqueous extract before infection (prophylactic aqueous G.V) (f) treated group with praziquantel (G.VI), (g) treated group with praziquantel combined with aqueous extract of C. procera (G.VII). Seven weeks post infection, all mice were autopsied, and their livers and ilea were obtained for parasitological (Tissue egg load) and histological assessments (Number and size of hepatic granulomas). Schistosomes recovered from all groups were processed for calculate the total worm burdens. Mice treated with C. procera alcoholic and aqueous extracts after infection showed more significant reduction in total worm burden (43.7% and 46.4%), the total egg tissue load (60% and 50.7%) and number of hepatic granuloma (45.9% and 55.5%) than mice in prophylactic aqueous or alcoholic groups (38.3% and 36%, 27.2% and 44%, 25.6% and 39%, respectively). Besides, female worms recovered from mice of aqueous or alcoholic treated groups after infection, showed less fecundity than those recovered from mice of prophylactic groups (1475 ±181 and 2821±200, corresponding to 3674 ±1447 and 3023 ±709, respectively). Mice treated with praziquantel or treated with praziquantel combined with C. procera aqueous extract after infection showed the highest reduction in total tissue egg load (86.4% and 97.4%, respectively), Mice treated with praziquantel combined with C. procera aqueous extract showed higher reduction in total egg tissue (97.4%), number and size of hepatic granuloma (72.3% and 31.4%) than those treated with praziquantel (86.4%, 55.5% and 10.8%, respectively).