Therapeutic Efficacy of Ginger (Zingiber officinale), Ginseng (Panax ginseng) and Sage (Salvia officinalis) Against Cryptosporidium parvum in Experimentally Infected Mice

Abstract

C RYPTOSPORIDIUM parvum (C. parvum) is a worldwide zoonotic protozoan parasite infects most mammalian hosts causing a major health problem. The present study investigated the efficacy of ginger (Zingiber officinale), ginseng (Panax ginseng) and sage (Salvia officinalis) methanolic extracts on the progression of cryptosporidiosis in the experimental mice. Forty five mice experimentally infected with C. parvum were treated with medicinal plants extracts (ginger, ginseng and sage) as compared to the reference drug, Nitazoxanide (NTZ). Mice fecal smears were examined daily for 4 weeks post infection (PI). The results interpreted by oocysts count and histological examination of mice intestinal mucosa.The obtained results recorded that there was a statistically significant reduction in oocyst shedding in high dose ginger, ginseng and NTZ treated groups till no oocysts were found at days 21 and 23 PI, respectively. The infected non-treated, NTZ and low dose of both, ginseng and sage treated mice groups returned to excrete oocysts at low levels at day 27 PI while the other animal groups' feces were still negative for C. parvum oocysts. The histopathological examination showed that NTZ, high dose ginger and ginseng treated mice had more protective and curative effect on infected mice intestinal epithelium in comparison with other treatments used.In conclusion, these results proved the therapeutic efficacy of ginger, ginseng and sage medicinal plants against the C. parvum in experimentally infected mice, and that theginger extract had an obvious effect on infected mice than other treatments and such results could be adapted in similar infections in susceptible animals and man.

Evaluation of a vaccine candidate isolated from Cryptosporidium parvum oocyst in mice

“…The ileal sections of C. parvum-infected mice showed severe tissue degeneration, shortened villi, sloughing, and erosion of the lining epithelium, aggregations of Cryptosporidium oocysts, and inflammatory cell infiltrates. These findings were also observed by Al-Mathal and Alsalem [61], Abouel-Nour et al [79], Aboelsoued et al [63,64], and Shahbazi et al [80] in mice experimentally infected with Cryptosporidium and may be due to impaired intestinal absorption, increased paracellular permeability, and impaired barrier function after infection [81,82]. Mead [20] stated that injury to the intestinal epithelial architecture due to infection and inflammation could alter the tight junctions between epithelial cells and induce innate inflammatory responses.…”

“…[ 28 ] might be due to the difference in mice age as they used older mice and the hypothesis that neonatal animals are necessary for a successful vaccination [ 59 ] in addition to a different vaccine preparation method. Oocyst shedding patterns and counting the number of oocysts have been previously evaluated [ 60 – 64 ]. The percentage of oocyst shedding reduction in the feces of immunized infected mice on day 12 PI (the peak of oocyst shedding in the non-vaccinated infected group) was 87.05%, which was better than previous reports on DNA vaccines that reduced oocyst shedding by 54.5%–77.5% after challenge with C. parvum [ 65 , 66 ].…”

“…[ 79 ], Aboelsoued et al . [ 63 , 64 ], and Shahbazi et al . [ 80 ] in mice experimentally infected with Cryptosporidium and may be due to impaired intestinal absorption, increased paracellular permeability, and impaired barrier function after infection [ 81 , 82 ].…”

Evaluation of growth and some unexplored bioactivities of bioreactor grown adventitious root culture of ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer)

“…Aboelsoued et al. studied the protective effect of the methanolic extract of ginseng against the protozoan parasite, Cryptosporidium parvum in experimentally infected mice and the extract could protect healthy animals from infection 76 . Some previous reports studied the anthelmintic activity of root extract of Baliospermum montanum , 77 Adhatoda vesica , 78 and Asparagus racemosus , 79 where they used different worms such as roundworm, tapeworm, earthworm, etc.…”

Efficacy of clofazimine and nitazoxanide combination in treating intestinal cryptosporidiosis and enhancing intestinal cellular regeneration in immunocompromised mice

“…Available drugs are not highly effective, and in most cases, will only reduce the duration of shedding. They have little or no effect in treating immunocompromised patients ( Thomson et al, 2017 ; Aboelsoued et al, 2020 ). Such inadequacy in treatment may also be related to a lack of exploring the mechanisms by which this intestinal protozoan causes impairment of intestinal integrity, especially the role of the epithelium acting as a barrier ( Kumar et al, 2018 ).…”