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Reis TSA, Siqueira VDS, Ferreira SRR, Domann N, Rodrigues BA, Fleury ACC, de Souza IMFNB, Cardoso LPV, Siqueira CS, Rezende HHA. Evaluation of nitazoxanide in the treatment of experimental murine neurotoxoplasmosis. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo 2024; 66:e61. [PMID: 39417497 PMCID: PMC11469426 DOI: 10.1590/s1678-9946202466061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 08/26/2024] [Indexed: 10/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a widespread zoonotic disease that poses significant public health concern globally, with neurotoxoplasmosis being a severe complication associated with high mortality rates. The standard therapy for neurotoxoplasmosis involves a combination of sulfadiazine and pyrimethamine, which, despite its efficacy, is often limited by adverse effects leading to treatment discontinuation. This study aimed to evaluate the in vivo efficacy of nitazoxanide in treating neurotoxoplasmosis in mice infected with the Me49 strain. The study comprised two groups: Group I, including subgroups of uninfected, infected and treated with saline, and infected and untreated mice; and Group II, comprising infected mice treated with nitazoxanide at 100 mg/kg/day, nitazoxanide at 150 mg/kg/day, and pyrimethamine combined with sulfadiazine. After 14 days of treatment, the mice were euthanized for organ collection. Histopathological examination of the brains revealed that the highest dose of nitazoxanide reduced parasitic load and cerebral hemorrhages. Biochemical and histopathological analyses of liver and kidney tissues demonstrated toxicological profiles comparable to pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine. However, despite showing efficacy and similar toxicity levels, nitazoxanide treatment was less effective regimen in controlling neurotoxoplasmosis in this experimental model compared to the pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine. Thus, while nitazoxanide presents potential in neurotoxoplasmosis treatment, pyrimethamine combined with sulfadiazine remains the preferred therapeutic choice based on better efficacy observed in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thaís Santos Anjo Reis
- Universidade Federal de Jataí, Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Aplicadas à Saúde, Jataí, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Victor da Silva Siqueira
- Universidade Federal de Jataí, Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Aplicadas à Saúde, Jataí, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Stéfanne Rodrigues Rezende Ferreira
- Universidade Federal de Jataí, Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Aplicadas à Saúde, Jataí, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Natália Domann
- Universidade Federal de Jataí, Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Aplicadas à Saúde, Jataí, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Benílton Alves Rodrigues
- Universidade Federal de Jataí, Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Curso de Biomedicina, Jataí, Goiás, Brazil
| | | | | | - Ludimila Paula Vaz Cardoso
- Universidade Federal de Jataí, Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Aplicadas à Saúde, Jataí, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Carla Silva Siqueira
- Universidade Federal de Jataí, Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Aplicadas à Saúde, Jataí, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Hanstter Hallison Alves Rezende
- Universidade Federal de Jataí, Instituto de Ciências da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Aplicadas à Saúde, Jataí, Goiás, Brazil
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Cristina Borges Araujo E, Cariaco Y, Paulo Oliveira Almeida M, Patricia Pallete Briceño M, Neto de Sousa JE, Rezende Lima W, Maria Costa-Cruz J, Maria Silva N. Beneficial effects of Strongyloides venezuelensis antigen extract in acute experimental toxoplasmosis. Parasite Immunol 2020; 43:e12811. [PMID: 33247953 DOI: 10.1111/pim.12811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 11/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan with worldwide distribution and triggers a strong Th1 immune response in infected susceptible hosts. On the contrary, most helminth infections are characterized by Th2 immune response and the use of helminth-derived antigens to regulate immune response in inflammatory disorders has been broadly investigated. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to investigate whether treatment with Strongyloides venezuelensis antigen extract (SvAg) would alter immune response against T gondii. METHODS C57BL/6 mice were orally infected with T gondii and treated with SvAg, and parasitological, histological and immunological parameters were investigated. RESULTS It was observed that SvAg treatment improved survival rates of T gondii-infected mice. At day 7 post-infection, the parasite load was lower in the lung and small intestine of infected SvAg-treated mice than untreated infected mice. Remarkably, SvAg-treated mice infected with T gondii presented reduced inflammatory lesions in the small intestine than infected untreated mice and decreased intestinal and systemic levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-6. In contrast, SvAg treatment increased T gondii-specific IgA serum levels in infected mice. CONCLUSIONS S venezuelensis antigen extract has anti-parasitic and anti-inflammatory properties during T gondii infection suggesting as a possible alternative to parasite and inflammation control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ester Cristina Borges Araujo
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brasil
| | - Yusmaris Cariaco
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brasil
| | - Marcos Paulo Oliveira Almeida
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brasil
| | | | - José Eduardo Neto de Sousa
- Laboratório de Diagnóstico de Parasitoses, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brasil
| | - Wânia Rezende Lima
- Instituto de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Catalão, Rua Terezinha Margon Vaz, s/n Residencial Barka II, Catalão, Brasil
| | - Julia Maria Costa-Cruz
- Laboratório de Diagnóstico de Parasitoses, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brasil
| | - Neide Maria Silva
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, Brasil
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