Amoebicidal and trichomonicidal capacity of polymeric nanoparticles loaded with extracts of the plants Curcuma longa (Zingiberaceae) and Berberis vulgaris (Berberidaceae)

Abstract

Introduction: In tropical and developing countries, pathogenic protozoa are a major public health problem. Objective: The main objective of this study was the evaluation of ethanol extracts of Curcuma longa and Berberis vulgaris, as well as their main components curcumin (Cur) and berberine (Ber) in non-encapsulated form and encapsulated into polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) on Entamoeba histolytica and Trichomonas vaginalis trophozoites as well as to evaluate the hemolytic activity. Additionally, we studied the morphology of the NPs, average particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), and encapsulation percentages (%EE) of the formulations. Methods: For this purpose, the activity of the encapsulated and non-encapsulated treatments against E. histolytica and T. vaginalis was evaluated by the microassay technique (in-vitro). In addition, the cytotoxic capacity was determined by the hemolysis technique in healthy erythrocytes. The size and morphology of the NPs were determined by photon correlation spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results: Phytochemical analysis of the extracts showed that C. longa had mainly tannins, phenols and flavonoids, and B. vulgaris alkaloids. The NPs were significantly (P < 0.001) more effective compared to their non-encapsulated counterparts, but CurNPs and BerNPs were the most efficient treatments. CurNPs showed IC50 values (μg/mL) of 9.48 and 4.25, against E. histolytica and T. vaginalis respectively, and BerNPs 0.24 and 0.71. The respective particle sizes and encapsulation percentages for CurNPs and BerNPs were 66.5 and 73.4 nm, 83.59 and 76.48 %, respectively. SEM shows that NPs had a spherical morphology. Finally, we analyzed whether ethanolic extracts and NPs induced hemolytic activity and found that significantly NPs reduced hemolysis compared to the non-encapsulated extracts. Conclusions: Therefore, these findings suggest that the use of NPs represent a valuable and novel source of administration of bioactive compounds for the therapeutic treatment of diseases caused by protozoa of clinical interest since they potentiate the amebicidal and trichomonicidal activity of the administered products without significant hemolytic activity.

In Vitro Biological Activity and Lymphoma Cell Growth Inhibition by Selected Mexican Medicinal Plants

“…), which is probably due to gallic and ellagic acids [48]. Moreover, the resveratrol present in grapes One of the research objectives of studying medicinal plants is to develop and use assays that are easy to use, reproducible, and inexpensive, such as the determination of the toxic activity of plant extracts, fractions, combinations, and/or formulations on human erythrocytes by the hemolysis test [51]. Therefore, we decided to evaluate the hemolytic potential of plant extracts and it was determined that none of the extracts was toxic to human erythrocytes, according to the criteria of López Villarreal et al (2022) [29], and A. adstringens and S. aspera are the extracts with the lowest activity, with IC 50 of 268.40 and 262.80 µg/mL, respectively.…”

Influence of the Polymer and Solvent Variables on the Nanoencapsulation of the Flavonoid Quercetin: Preliminary Study Based on Eudragit® Polymers

“…PNPs were prepared via the nanoprecipitation method [2]. Different Eudragit ® polymers were used (Figure 1), EPO, E100, and L100 were dissolved in absolute MeOH, and L100-55 was dissolved in acetone by sonication applying three 3 min sonication cycles followed by a 1 min rest period (Ultrasonic Branson 2510MT, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany) [9].…”

“…2023, 13 future since this type of carrier improves stability, bioavailability, and drug targeting due to the significant characteristics of PNPs, including size (S), which varies from 100 to 500 nm. These characteristics facilitate the entry and improve the interaction with biological substrates, giving them several advantages, such as a large contact surface, a capacity of bio-direction to specific organs or tissues, absorption of the drug in the target tissue, reduced adverse effects, decreased dosage, and internalization by cells, bacteria, or parasites [1,2]. These pharmaceutical carriers are generally made of natural or synthetic biodegradable polymers and form structures with diverse chemical natures where the drug can be encapsulated, adhered to, or absorbed [3].…”

“…These polymers can protect drugs that are susceptible to breakdown in an acidic environment, such as the stomach, enabling their release only at a pH level above 6.0 in the intestine [8]; these anionic copolymers are made of methacrylic acid and methyl methacrylate and are widely used for multiple PNP formulations, constituting tiny particles that vary from 1 to 300 nm. Eudragit ® has been successfully used to enhance the therapeutic effects and bioavailability of various substances, including berberine, curcumin, quercetin, laccases, insulin, and pantoprazole [2,6,[8][9][10]. These polymers effectively encapsulate hydrophobic molecules such as the flavonol quercetin, which is insoluble in aqueous solutions and can hinder absorption [10].…”

Assessment of Anticancer Properties of Argemone mexicana L. and Berberine: A Comparative Study

“…Despite the numerous pharmacological studies conducted so far on many Papaveraceae species, not all species have been analyzed. In our workgroup, we have extensive experience evaluating Mexican plants, such as A. mexicana, among others [18][19][20]. We have previously published studies conducted with A. mexicana against different etiological agents, such as parasites, from which we identified and reported the benzylisoquinoline alkaloid BER as the main component of A. mexicana and which has antiparasitic and anthelmintic activity [20,21].…”