Curcumin Generates Oxidative Stress and Induces Apoptosis in Adult Schistosoma mansoni Worms

Abstract

Inducing apoptosis is an interesting therapeutic approach to develop drugs that act against helminthic parasites. Researchers have investigated how curcumin (CUR), a biologically active compound extracted from rhizomes of Curcuma longa, affects Schistosoma mansoni and several cancer cell lines. This study evaluates how CUR influences the induction of apoptosis and oxidative stress in couples of adult S. mansoni worms. CUR decreased the viability of adult worms and killed them. The tegument of the parasite suffered morphological changes, the mitochondria underwent alterations, and chromatin condensed. Different apoptotic parameters were determined in an attempt to understand how CUR affected adult S. mansoni worms. CUR induced DNA damage and fragmentation and increased the expression of SmCASP3/7 transcripts and the activity of Caspase 3 in female and male worms. However, CUR did not intensify the activity of Caspase 8 in female or male worms. Evaluation of the superoxide anion and different antioxidant enzymes helped to explore the mechanism of parasite death further. The level of superoxide anion and the activity of Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) increased, whereas the activity of Glutathione-S-Transferase (GST), Glutathione reductase (GR), and Glutathione peroxidase (GPX) decreased, which culminated in the oxidation of proteins in adult female and male worms incubated with CUR. In conclusion, CUR generated oxidative stress followed by apoptotic-like-events in both adult female and male S. mansoni worms, ultimately killing them.

FOXO1, a Potential Therapeutic Target, Regulates Autophagic Flux, Oxidative Stress, Mitochondrial Dysfunction, and Apoptosis in Human Cholangiocarcinoma QBC939 Cells

“…Many drugs exert their negative effects on cancer cells are through increased the production of ROS [13, 14]. Mitochondrial dysfunction (MtD) represents a malfunction in biochemical processes, characterized by MMP collapse and decreased ATP production, also have an essential role in mediation of apoptosis [15, 16].…”

Molluscicidal and cercaricidal activities of curcumin on Biomphalaria glabrata and Schistosoma mansoni cercariae

“…According to the WHO, crude plant material is considered active on snails at concentration equal to or less than 100 ppm (μg mL −1 ), killing 90% of exposed snails. In addition, for isolated compounds, a molluscicidal candidate should be active at less than 20 ppm (μg mL −1 ) or present a LC 50 value lower than 40 ppm (μg mL −1 ) . Thus, this study demonstrated that CUR possesses potential activity against B. glabrata embryos with a LC 50 value of 6.54 μg mL −1 and causes mortality of newborn and adult snails (LC 50 values of 42.29 μg mL −1 and 87.69 μg mL −1 , respectively).…”

“…In this context, the decision to investigate CUR was triggered by a previous study employing the formulation of a curcumin‐nisin polylactic acid nanoparticle, which demonstrated moderate molluscicidal activity against adult and juvenile B. pfeifferi snails and lower activity against embryos . In addition, CUR possesses in vitro activity against adult worms of Schistosoma species and S. japonicum cercariae, exhibits in vivo schistosomicidal activity against S. mansoni and induces immunomodulation of granulomatous inflammation and haspotential antifibrotic activity, reinforcing the potential role of this compound against schistosomiasis. In addition, recent literature reports that CUR is interesting as it is inexpensive and shows lower toxicity in human and non‐targeted organisms .…”

“…The lower fecundity rate can be due to the snails' viability reduction when exposed to CUR and or apoptosis induction on reproductive cells . Furthermore, our research group has recently shown that CUR generates oxidative stress and induces apoptosis in adult S. mansoni worms …”

“…Cercariae from S. mansoni Luis Evangelista (LE) strains were obtained from B. glabrata infected snails (after 45–48 days of infection) by exposure to artificial illumination at 26 °C for 1 h to induce larval shedding . The number of cercariae in the cercaricidal solution was then estimated using an inverted microscope (Primo Verti, Carl Zeiss) and the cercariae were distributed on the bottom of flat 24‐well culture plates (50 cercariae/well) in a final volume of 2 mL .…”