A cysteine protease from the latex of Ficus benjamina has in vitro anthelmintic activity against Haemonchus contortus

Abstract

Haemonchus contortus is a gastrointestinal nematode that is responsible for high mortality rates in ruminant herds. The resistance of nematodes to synthetic anthelmintics is widespread and requires a continuous search for new bioactive molecules, such as proteins. The objective of this study was to evaluate the anthelmintic potential of a protease purified from the latex of Ficus benjamina against H. contortus . Fresh latex was collected from plants via small incisions in the green stems, the rubber was removed by centrifugation, and the latex protein extract (LPE) was obtained. After LPE fractionation with ammonium sulfate and chromatography of the fraction containing the highest proteolytic activity on CM-cellulose, a cysteine protease (FbP) was purified. FbP has a molecular mass of approximately 23.97 kDa, and its proteolytic activity was stable between pH 6.0 and pH 10 and over a broad temperature range, with optimum activity at 60 °C. FbP inhibited both the development and exsheathment of H. contortus larvae, with 50% effective concentrations of 0.26 and 0.79 mg/mL, respectively. We conclude that this cysteine protease from F. benjamina latex with anthelmintic activity against H. contortus could be a promising alternative for the development of products for use in parasite control programmes.

Comparative Assessment of the Antibacterial Efficacy of Leaf Extract Obtained from Ficus benjamina L. (Moraceae) and its Cultivars against Aeromonas sobria Strain

“…Both, ursolic acid and lupeol were found to exhibit significant antiplasmodial effect with an IC 50 value of 18 and 3.8 µg/ml, respectively (Singh et al, 2020). Wanderley et al (2018) have evaluated the anthelmintic potential of a protease purified from the latex of F. benjamina against Haemonchus contortus, a gastrointestinal nematode that is responsible for high mortality rates in ruminant herds. A cysteine protease (FbP) inhibited both the development and escheatment of H. contortus larvae, with 50 % effective concentrations of 0.26 and 0.79 mg/mL, respectively.…”

“…A cysteine protease (FbP) inhibited both the development and escheatment of H. contortus larvae, with 50 % effective concentrations of 0.26 and 0.79 mg/mL, respectively. Thus, this cysteine protease from F. benjamina latex with anthelmintic activity against H. contortus could be a promising alternative for the development of products for use in parasite control programs (Wanderley et al, 2018). Imran et al (2014) showed that the HPLC analysis for the presence of phenolic acids permitted the identification of 5 phenolic acids, three in the stem, four in the root, and one in leaves.…”

New Insights into Anthelmintic Mechanisms of Action of a Synthetic Peptide: An Ultrastructural and Nanomechanical Approach

“…However, compared to other molecules, the anthelmintic activity of RcAlb-PepIII stands better results. Wanderley et al [30] presented a cysteine protease from the latex of Ficus benjamina that exerts its IC 50 against H. contortus at a concentration of 33 mM. This concentration is 366 times higher than the concentration presented by RcAlb-PepIII.…”

Plant-Based Natural Products for the Discovery and Development of Novel Anthelmintics against Nematodes

“…Wanderley and coworkers evaluated the anthelmintic potential in H. contortus-infected sheep of CM-cellulose, a cysteine protease purified from the latex of Ficus benjamina. The purified protease inhibited both the development and exsheathment of H. contortus larvae, with 50% effective concentrations of 260 and 790 µg/mL, respectively [83]. Kaempferol 3-O-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside-7-O-rhamnopyranoside (oxytroside), isolated from Gliricidia sepium leaves by bioassay-guided purification, fully inhibited Cooperia punctata exsheathment (2400 µg/mL) in calves [84].…”