Anti-giardial therapeutic potential of dichloromethane extracts of Zingiber officinale and Curcuma longa in vitro and in vivo

Abstract

Giardiosis is one of the common parasitic diarrhoea in humans, especially in children, worldwide. Many drugs are used for its treatment, but there is evidence of drug resistance, insufficient efficacy and unpleasant side effects. Natural products are good candidates for discovering more effective anti-giardial compounds. This study evaluated the activity of extracts of Zingiber officinale (ginger) and Curcuma longa (curcumin) against Giardia lamblia in vitro and in vivo. Giardia cyst suspension was prepared from children faecal specimens. For the in vitro experiment, 1, 10 and 50 mg⁄mL dichloromethane extracts of ginger and curcumin separately were incubated with Giardia cysts for 5, 10, 30 and 60 min. The viability was distinguished by 0.1 % eosin and a haemocytometer. For the in vivo experiments, Balb/c mice were infected with Giardia cyst suspension containing 10,000 cysts/mL. Infected mice were administered 10 and 20 mg kg(-1) day(-1) ginger and curcumin extracts separately for 7 days post-infection. The effectiveness of the extracts was evaluated by faecal cyst and intestinal trophozoite counts and histopathological examination of the small intestine. In vitro ginger extract had a higher significant effect on cyst viability than curcumin, in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In vivo ginger (more effective) and curcumin extracts significantly treated infected mice, and this was evidenced by the faecal cyst and intestinal trophozoite counts reduction, in addition to evident improvement of intestinal mucosal damages induced by Giardia infection. Z. officinale and C. longa extracts may represent effective and natural therapeutic alternatives with low side effects and without drug resistance in the treatment of giardiosis.

Effect of <i>Commiphora molmol</i> (Myrrh) Extract on Mice Infected by <i>Giardia lamblia</i>

“…This result agreed with Amer et al(2007) [39]. On the other hand, Dyab et al 2016[40] estimated that, in vivo ginger (more effective) and curcumin extracts significantly…”

Efficacy of Zingiber officinale ethanol extract on the viability, embryogenesis and infectivity of Toxocara canis eggs

“…It was proven the ovicidal effect Z. officinale against Fasciola hepatica eggs by 100% at concentrations of 5 and 10 mg/mL after 48 and 24 h treatment time respectively (Moazeni and Khademolhoseini 2016). Dyab et al (2016) found that Z. officinale extract at 50 mg/mL had a higher significant effect on Giardia lamblia cyst viability after 1 h treatment. Also, antimicrobial testing of the rhizome extract of Z. officinale at the concentration of 100 mg/mL demonstrated a potential activity against four pathogenic bacteria; Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus spp.…”

Effects of some natural products from fungal and herbal sources on Giardia lamblia in vivo

“…After 24, 48 and 72 h of treatment, stool examinations were done to evaluate the viability of cysts. One gram of feces was homogenized in 10 cc of formal saline and the viability of cysts was done by 0.1% eosin vital staining and a haemocytometer (Dyab et al ., 2016).…”