Treatment of cryptosporidiosis using Nigella sativa (El Baraka seed oil) conjugated with Chitosan nanoparticles.

Abstract

Cryptosporidium infection can cause severe consequences diarrhea in immunodeficient hosts, yet no effective drug therapy has been approved till now. Thus, it is increasingly necessary for evaluating new potential drugs against Cryptosporidium in immunosuppressed patients. The present work was carried out to evaluate the efficacy of chitosan nanoparticle alone versus conjugated with Nigella sativa (El Baraka seed oil, Baraka) against C. parvum in infected immunocompetent and immunosuppressed mice. After oral infection with C. parvum oocysts, both treatments were given for 21 days. The highest percentages of reduction in the number of C. parvum oocysts were in the groups receiving Baraka and chitosan nanoparticles, while Baraka alone or chitosan were less effective than Baraka and chitosan in reducing oocysts.