Therapeutic Potential and Safety of the Cinnamomum zeylanicum Methanolic Extract Against Chronic Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Mice

BackgroundThis experimental study determined the in vitro, in vivo, and toxicity effects of Cinnamomum zeylanicum methanolic extract (CZME) against Toxoplasma gondii infection.MethodsThe in vitro activity of CZME T. gondii tachyzoites was studied by the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Abdullah D. Alanazi, Hamdan I. Almohammed
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2022-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2022.900046/full
_version_ 1811240159962726400
author Abdullah D. Alanazi
Hamdan I. Almohammed
author_facet Abdullah D. Alanazi
Hamdan I. Almohammed
author_sort Abdullah D. Alanazi
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundThis experimental study determined the in vitro, in vivo, and toxicity effects of Cinnamomum zeylanicum methanolic extract (CZME) against Toxoplasma gondii infection.MethodsThe in vitro activity of CZME T. gondii tachyzoites was studied by the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. Infected mice were treated with CZME for two weeks at doses of 20, 40, and 60 mg/kg/day. Then, the therapeutic effects of CZME were evaluated by assessing the mean number and mean size of T. gondii tissue cysts, oxidant-antioxidant enzymes, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and mRNA expression levels of bradyzoite surface antigen 1 (BAG1) by real-time PCR.ResultsCZME significantly (p <0.001) increased the mortality rate of parasites in a dose- and time-dependent response. The mean number of intracellular tachyzoites was significantly reduced after CZME therapy. The treatment of infected mice with CZME resulted in a significant (p <0.001) downregulation of BAG1 and the level of lipid peroxidation (LPO) and nitric oxide (NO) as oxidative stress markers. However, a considerable rise (p <0.05) was found in the levels of antioxidant markers such as glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase enzyme (CAT), and superoxide dismutase enzyme activity (SOD). In a dose-dependent response, after treatment of infected mice with CZME, the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines of IFN-γ, IL-1β, and IL-12 was considerably elevated. CZME had no significant cytotoxicity on Vero cells, with a 50% cytotoxic concentration of 169.5 ± 5.66 μg/ml.ConclusionThe findings confirmed the promising therapeutic effects of CZME on chronic toxoplasmosis in mice. Nevertheless, further investigations must confirm these results, elucidate its precise mechanisms, and examine its effectiveness in human volunteers.
first_indexed 2024-04-12T13:14:19Z
format Article
id doaj.art-9a900cb246d44327887713e5754837ad
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2235-2988
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-12T13:14:19Z
publishDate 2022-06-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
spelling doaj.art-9a900cb246d44327887713e5754837ad2022-12-22T03:31:44ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology2235-29882022-06-011210.3389/fcimb.2022.900046900046Therapeutic Potential and Safety of the Cinnamomum zeylanicum Methanolic Extract Against Chronic Toxoplasma gondii Infection in MiceAbdullah D. Alanazi0Hamdan I. Almohammed1Departmentof Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science and Humanities, Shaqra University, Ad-Dawadimi, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Basic Science, Faculty of Medicine, Almaarefa University, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaBackgroundThis experimental study determined the in vitro, in vivo, and toxicity effects of Cinnamomum zeylanicum methanolic extract (CZME) against Toxoplasma gondii infection.MethodsThe in vitro activity of CZME T. gondii tachyzoites was studied by the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. Infected mice were treated with CZME for two weeks at doses of 20, 40, and 60 mg/kg/day. Then, the therapeutic effects of CZME were evaluated by assessing the mean number and mean size of T. gondii tissue cysts, oxidant-antioxidant enzymes, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and mRNA expression levels of bradyzoite surface antigen 1 (BAG1) by real-time PCR.ResultsCZME significantly (p <0.001) increased the mortality rate of parasites in a dose- and time-dependent response. The mean number of intracellular tachyzoites was significantly reduced after CZME therapy. The treatment of infected mice with CZME resulted in a significant (p <0.001) downregulation of BAG1 and the level of lipid peroxidation (LPO) and nitric oxide (NO) as oxidative stress markers. However, a considerable rise (p <0.05) was found in the levels of antioxidant markers such as glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase enzyme (CAT), and superoxide dismutase enzyme activity (SOD). In a dose-dependent response, after treatment of infected mice with CZME, the level of pro-inflammatory cytokines of IFN-γ, IL-1β, and IL-12 was considerably elevated. CZME had no significant cytotoxicity on Vero cells, with a 50% cytotoxic concentration of 169.5 ± 5.66 μg/ml.ConclusionThe findings confirmed the promising therapeutic effects of CZME on chronic toxoplasmosis in mice. Nevertheless, further investigations must confirm these results, elucidate its precise mechanisms, and examine its effectiveness in human volunteers.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2022.900046/fulltoxoplasmosisin vivocytokinestoxicityantioxidantoxidative stress
spellingShingle Abdullah D. Alanazi
Hamdan I. Almohammed
Therapeutic Potential and Safety of the Cinnamomum zeylanicum Methanolic Extract Against Chronic Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Mice
Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology
toxoplasmosis
in vivo
cytokines
toxicity
antioxidant
oxidative stress
title Therapeutic Potential and Safety of the Cinnamomum zeylanicum Methanolic Extract Against Chronic Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Mice
title_full Therapeutic Potential and Safety of the Cinnamomum zeylanicum Methanolic Extract Against Chronic Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Mice
title_fullStr Therapeutic Potential and Safety of the Cinnamomum zeylanicum Methanolic Extract Against Chronic Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Mice
title_full_unstemmed Therapeutic Potential and Safety of the Cinnamomum zeylanicum Methanolic Extract Against Chronic Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Mice
title_short Therapeutic Potential and Safety of the Cinnamomum zeylanicum Methanolic Extract Against Chronic Toxoplasma gondii Infection in Mice
title_sort therapeutic potential and safety of the cinnamomum zeylanicum methanolic extract against chronic toxoplasma gondii infection in mice
topic toxoplasmosis
in vivo
cytokines
toxicity
antioxidant
oxidative stress
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcimb.2022.900046/full
work_keys_str_mv AT abdullahdalanazi therapeuticpotentialandsafetyofthecinnamomumzeylanicummethanolicextractagainstchronictoxoplasmagondiiinfectioninmice
AT hamdanialmohammed therapeuticpotentialandsafetyofthecinnamomumzeylanicummethanolicextractagainstchronictoxoplasmagondiiinfectioninmice