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Sherafati J, Dayer MS, Ghaffarifar F, Akbarzadeh K, Pirestani M. Evaluating leishmanicidal effects of Lucilia sericata products in combination with Apis mellifera honey using an in vitro model. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0283355. [PMID: 37535629 PMCID: PMC10399734 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0283355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a zoonotic disease caused by an intracellular parasite from the genus Leishmania. Lack of safe and effective drugs has increasingly promoted researches into new drugs of natural origin to cure the disease. The study, therefore, aimed to investigate the anti-leishmanial effects of Lucilia sericata larval excretion/secretion (ES) in combination with Apis mellifera honey as a synergist on Leishmania major using an in vitro model. Various concentrations of honey and larval ES fractions were tested against promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes of L. major using macrophage J774A.1 cell line. The inhibitory effects and cytotoxicity of ES plus honey were evaluated using direct counting method and MTT assay. To assess the effects of larval ES plus honey on the amastigote form, the rate of macrophage infection and the number of amastigotes per infected macrophage cell were estimated. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values were 21.66 μg/ml, 43.25 60 μg/ml, 52.58 μg/ml, and 70.38 μg/ml for crude ES plus honey, ES >10 kDa plus honey, ES <10 kDa plus honey, and honey alone, respectively. The IC50 for positive control (glucantime) was 27.03 μg/ml. There was a significant difference between viability percentages of promastigotes exposed to different doses of applied treatments compared to the negative control (p≤ 0.0001). Microscopic examination of amastigote forms revealed that dosages applied at 150 to 300 μg/ml significantly reduced the rate of macrophage infection and the number of amastigotes per infected macrophage cell. Different doses of larval products plus honey did not show a significant toxic effect agaist macrophage J774 cells. The larval ES fractions of L. sericata in combination with A. mellifera honey acted synergistically against L. major.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jila Sherafati
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Department of Parasitology and Medical Entomology, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Student Research Committee, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Saaid Dayer
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Department of Parasitology and Medical Entomology, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Ghaffarifar
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Department of Parasitology and Medical Entomology, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Kamran Akbarzadeh
- Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Majid Pirestani
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, Department of Parasitology and Medical Entomology, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
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Siddiqui SA, Li C, Aidoo OF, Fernando I, Haddad MA, Pereira JA, Blinov A, Golik A, Câmara JS. Unravelling the potential of insects for medicinal purposes - A comprehensive review. Heliyon 2023; 9:e15938. [PMID: 37206028 PMCID: PMC10189416 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Entomotherapy, the use of insects for medicinal purposes, has been practised for centuries in many countries around the world. More than 2100 edible insect species are eaten by humans, but little is known about the possibility of using these insects as a promising alternative to traditional pharmaceuticals for treating diseases. This review offers a fundamental understanding of the therapeutic applications of insects and how they might be used in medicine. In this review, 235 insect species from 15 orders are reported to be used as medicine. Hymenoptera contains the largest medicinal insect species, followed by Coleoptera, Orthoptera, Lepidoptera, and Blattodea. Scientists have examined and validated the potential uses of insects along with their products and by-products in treating various diseases, and records show that they are primarily used to treat digestive and skin disorders. Insects are known to be rich sources of bioactive compounds, explaining their therapeutic features such as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral, and so on. Challenges associated with the consumption of insects (entomophagy) and their therapeutic uses include regulation barriers and consumer acceptance. Moreover, the overexploitation of medicinal insects in their natural habitat has led to a population crisis, thus necessitating the investigation and development of their mass-rearing procedure. Lastly, this review suggests potential directions for developing insects used in medicine and offers advice for scientists interested in entomotherapy. In future, entomotherapy may become a sustainable and cost-effective solution for treating various ailments and has the potential to revolutionize modern medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahida Anusha Siddiqui
- Technical University of Munich Campus Straubing for Biotechnology and Sustainability, Essigberg 3, 94315 Straubing, Germany
- German Institute of Food Technologies (DIL e.V.), Prof.-von-Klitzing Str. 7, 49610 D-Quakenbrück, Germany
- Corresponding author. Technical University of Munich Campus Straubing for Biotechnology and Sustainability, Essigberg 3, 94315 Straubing, Germany.
| | - Chujun Li
- Guangzhou Unique Biotechnology Co., Ltd, 510663, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Science, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Owusu Fordjour Aidoo
- Department of Biological, Physical and Mathematical Sciences, University of Environment and Sustainable Development, 00233, Somanya, Ghana
| | - Ito Fernando
- Department of Plant Pest and Diseases, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, 65145, East Java, Indonesia
| | - Moawiya A. Haddad
- Department of Nutrition and Food Processing, Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Al-Balqa Applied University, 19117, Al-Salt, Jordan
| | - Jorge A.M. Pereira
- CQM – Centro de Química da Madeira, Universidade da Madeira, Campus da Penteada, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal
| | - Andrey Blinov
- North Caucasus Federal University, Pushkina Street 1, 355009, Stavropol, Russia
| | - Andrey Golik
- North Caucasus Federal University, Pushkina Street 1, 355009, Stavropol, Russia
| | - José S. Câmara
- CQM – Centro de Química da Madeira, Universidade da Madeira, Campus da Penteada, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal
- Departamento de Química, Faculdade de Ciências Exatas e Engenharia, Universidade da Madeira, Campus da Penteada, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal
- Corresponding author. CQM – Centro de Química da Madeira, Universidade da Madeira, Campus da Penteada, 9020-105 Funchal, Portugal.
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Sherafati J, Dayer MS, Ghaffarifar F. Therapeutic effects of Lucilia sericata larval excretion/secretion products on Leishmania major under in vitro and in vivo conditions. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:212. [PMID: 35710519 PMCID: PMC9204886 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05322-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leishmaniasis is a neglected infectious disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania. The disease generally manifests as characteristic skin lesions which require lengthy treatment with antimonial drugs that are often associated with adverse side effects. Therefore, a number of studies have focused on natural compounds as promising drugs for its treatment. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of larval excretion/secretion products (ES) of Lucilia sericata in crude and fractionated forms on Leishmania major, by using in vitro and in vivo models. METHODS The in vitro experiments involved evaluation of ES on both promastigotes and macrophage-engulfed amastigotes, whereas the in vivo experiments included comparative treatments of skin lesions in L. major-infected mice with Eucerin-formulated ES and Glucantime. RESULTS The half maximal inhibitory concentrations of the crude ES, > 10-kDa ES fraction, < 10-kDa ES fraction, and Glucantime were 38.7 μg/ml, 47.6 μg/ml, 63.3 μg/ml, and 29.1 μg/ml, respectively. Significant differences were observed between percentage viabilities of promastigotes treated with the crude ES and its fractions compared with the negative control (P < 0.0001). The crude ES was more effective on amastigotes than the two ES fractions at 300 μg/ml. The macroscopic measurements revealed that the reduction of lesion size in mice treated with the crude ES followed quicker cascades of healing than that of mice treated with Glucantime and the ES fractions. CONCLUSIONS The present study showed that the larval ES of L. sericata in both crude and fractionated forms are effective for both intracellular and extracellular forms of L. major. Also, the ES exert both topical and systemic effects on mice experimentally infected with L. major.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jila Sherafati
- Department of Parasitology and Medical Entomology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Jalal AleAhmad Highway, Nasr, P.O. Box 14115-111, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
| | - Mohammad Saaid Dayer
- Department of Parasitology and Medical Entomology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Jalal AleAhmad Highway, Nasr, P.O. Box 14115-111, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
| | - Fatemeh Ghaffarifar
- Department of Parasitology and Medical Entomology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Jalal AleAhmad Highway, Nasr, P.O. Box 14115-111, Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran
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Díaz-Roa A, Espinoza-Culupú A, Torres-García O, Borges MM, Avino IN, Alves FL, Miranda A, Patarroyo MA, da Silva PI, Bello FJ. Sarconesin II, a New Antimicrobial Peptide Isolated from Sarconesiopsis magellanica Excretions and Secretions. Molecules 2019; 24:E2077. [PMID: 31159162 PMCID: PMC6600161 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24112077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2019] [Revised: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Antibiotic resistance is at dangerous levels and increasing worldwide. The search for new antimicrobial drugs to counteract this problem is a priority for health institutions and organizations, both globally and in individual countries. Sarconesiopsis magellanica blowfly larval excretions and secretions (ES) are an important source for isolating antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). This study aims to identify and characterize a new S. magellanica AMP. RP-HPLC was used to fractionate ES, using C18 columns, and their antimicrobial activity was evaluated. The peptide sequence of the fraction collected at 43.7 min was determined by mass spectrometry (MS). Fluorescence and electronic microscopy were used to evaluate the mechanism of action. Toxicity was tested on HeLa cells and human erythrocytes; physicochemical properties were evaluated. The molecule in the ES was characterized as sarconesin II and it showed activity against Gram-negative (Escherichia coli MG1655, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, P. aeruginosa PA14) and Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213, Micrococcus luteus A270) bacteria. The lowest minimum inhibitory concentration obtained was 1.9 μM for M. luteus A270; the AMP had no toxicity in any cells tested here and its action in bacterial membrane and DNA was confirmed. Sarconesin II was documented as a conserved domain of the ATP synthase protein belonging to the Fli-1 superfamily. The data reported here indicated that peptides could be alternative therapeutic candidates for use in infections against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and eventually as a new resource of compounds for combating multidrug-resistant bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Díaz-Roa
- Special Laboratory for Applied Toxinology (LETA), Butantan Institute, São Paulo CEP 05503-900, SP, Brazil.
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo CEP 05508-900, SP, Brazil.
- PhD Program in Biomedical and Biological Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá 111221, Colombia.
| | - Abraham Espinoza-Culupú
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo CEP 05508-900, SP, Brazil.
- Bacteriology Laboratory, Butantan Institute, São Paulo CEP 05503-900, SP, Brazil.
| | | | - Monamaris M Borges
- Bacteriology Laboratory, Butantan Institute, São Paulo CEP 05503-900, SP, Brazil.
| | - Ivan N Avino
- Special Laboratory of Cell Cycle (LECC), Butantan Institute, São Paulo CEP 05503-900, SP, Brazil.
| | - Flávio L Alves
- Biophysics Department, UNIFESP, São Paulo CEP 04023-062, Brazil.
| | - Antonio Miranda
- Biophysics Department, UNIFESP, São Paulo CEP 04023-062, Brazil.
| | - Manuel A Patarroyo
- Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá 111321, Colombia.
- Basic Sciences Department, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá 112111, Colombia.
| | - Pedro I da Silva
- Special Laboratory for Applied Toxinology (LETA), Butantan Institute, São Paulo CEP 05503-900, SP, Brazil.
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo CEP 05508-900, SP, Brazil.
| | - Felio J Bello
- Faculty of Agricultural and Livestock Sciences, Veterinary Medicine Programme, Universidad de La Salle, Bogotá 110141, Colombia.
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Caleffe RRT, de Oliveira SR, Gigliolli AAS, Ruvolo-Takasusuki MCC, Conte H. Bioprospection of immature salivary glands of Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius, 1794) (Diptera: Calliphoridae). Micron 2018; 112:55-62. [PMID: 29908422 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2018.06.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2018] [Revised: 06/06/2018] [Accepted: 06/06/2018] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Larval therapy (LT) comprises the application of sterile Calliphoridae larvae for wound debridement, disinfection, and healing in humans and animals. Larval digestion plays a key role in LT, where the salivary glands and gut produce and secrete proteolytic and antimicrobial substances. The objective of this work was to bioprospect the salivary glands of Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius, 1794) larvae, using ultrastructural, morphological, and histological observations, and the total protein electrophoretic profile. The salivary glands present a deferent duct, originating from the buccal cavity, which bifurcates into efferent ducts that insert through a slight dilatation to a pair of tubular-shaped tissues, united in the region of fat cells. Histologically, the secretion had protein characteristics. Cell cytoplasm presented numerous free ribosomes, autophagic vacuoles, spherical and elongated mitochondria, atypical Golgi complexes, and dilated rough endoplasmic reticulum. In the apical cytoplasm, secretory granules and microvilli secretions demonstrated intense protein synthesis, basal cytoplasm with trachea insertions, and numerous mitochondria. The present work described the ultrastructure and morphology of C. megacephala third instar salivary glands, confirming intense protein synthesis and the molecular weight of soluble proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Helio Conte
- Departament of Biotechnology, Genetics and Cell Biology of State University of Maringá, PR, Brazil
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Laverde-Paz MJ, Echeverry MC, Patarroyo MA, Bello FJ. Evaluating the anti-leishmania activity of Lucilia sericata and Sarconesiopsis magellanica blowfly larval excretions/secretions in an in vitro model. Acta Trop 2018; 177:44-50. [PMID: 28982577 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2017.09.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2017] [Revised: 09/29/2017] [Accepted: 09/30/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease caused by infection by parasites from the genus Leishmania. Clinical manifestations can be visceral or cutaneous, the latter mainly being chronic ulcers. This work was aimed at evaluating Calliphoridae Lucilia sericata- and Sarconesiopsis magellanica-derived larval excretions and secretions' (ES) in vitro anti-leishmanial activity against Leishmania panamensis. Different larval-ES concentrations from both blowfly species were tested against either L. panamensis promastigotes or intracellular amastigotes using U937-macrophages as host cells. The Alamar Blue method was used for assessing parasite half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) and macrophage cytotoxicity (LC50). The effect of larval-ES on L. panamensis intracellular parasite forms was evaluated by calculating the percentage of infected macrophages, parasite load and toxicity. L. sericata-derived larval-ES L. panamensis macrophage LC50 was 72.57μg/mL (65.35-80.58μg/mL) and promastigote IC50 was 41.44μg/mL (38.57-44.52μg/mL), compared to 34.93μg/mL (31.65-38.55μg/mL) LC50 and 23.42μg/mL (22.48-24.39μg/mL) IC50 for S. magellanica. Microscope evaluation of intracellular parasite forms showed that treatment with 10μg/mL L. sericata ES and 5μg/mL S. magellanica ES led to a decrease in the percentage of infected macrophages and the amount of intracellular amastigotes. This study produced in vitro evidence of the antileishmanial activity of larval ES from both blowfly species on different parasitic stages and showed that the parasite was more susceptible to the ES than it's host cells. The antileishmanial effect on L. panamensis was more evident from S. magellanica ES.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayra Juliana Laverde-Paz
- Medical and Forensic Entomology Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá DC, Colombia; Public Health Department, Medicine Faculty, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá DC, Colombia.
| | - María Clara Echeverry
- Public Health Department, Medicine Faculty, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá DC, Colombia.
| | - Manuel Alfonso Patarroyo
- Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Bogotá DC, Colombia; Basic Sciences Department, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá DC, Colombia.
| | - Felio Jesús Bello
- Medical and Forensic Entomology Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá DC, Colombia; Medicine Faculty, Universidad Antonio Nariño, Bogotá DC, Colombia; Faculty of Agricultural and Livestock Sciences, Universidad de La Salle, Bogotá DC, Colombia.
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