Background: Leishmaniasis is the most important parasitic disease in Iran and is the third highest rate of rural cutaneous leishmaniasis in the world. Chitosan-polyethylene oxide nanocomposite fibers can be a suitable replacement for ordinary bandages. For the first time, in the absence of any published reports, the present study aimed to evaluate the anti-leishmanial effects of chitosan (CS)-polyethylene oxide (PEO)-berberine nanofibers on .
Methods: The present experimental study was conducted in 2018 in Tehran, Iran. The CS-PEO nanofibers containing berberine, as a natural anti-parasitic agent, were prepared using the electrospinning technique. Biocompatibility and fibroblast proliferation on nanofibers were investigated. In addition, the anti-leishmanial activity of CS-PEO nanofibers in both the promastigote and amastigote stages of was evaluated after parasite vital staining and MTT assay and compared to a control group. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software (version 18.0). Statistically significant differences were determined using the one-way ANOVA. The Duncan and Dunnett tests were used for within-group comparisons. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: The results showed that nanofiber scaffolds with a mean diameter of 77.5±19.5 nm were perfect, regular, bead-free, and non-toxic, on which fibroblast cells grew well and proliferated. In addition, the optical density indicated that berberine 20% (w/v) significantly prevented promastigotes growth (IC=0.24 μg/mL) and amastigotes death (IC=0.91 μg/mL) compared with other concentrations and the control group.
Conclusion: The study on the cytotoxic effects showed that CS-PEO-berberine nanofibers had strong lethal effects on in promastigote and amastigote stages . Further studies are required to investigate the effects of this nanofiber on leishmanial ulcers in laboratory animals and clinical cases.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.30476/IJMS.2019.45784 | DOI Listing |
Sci Rep
January 2025
Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease caused by protozoan organisms belonging to the Leishmania genus, affecting many individuals worldwide, with the burden surpassing one million cases. This disease leads to considerable morbidity and mortality, predominantly within tropical and subtropical regions. The current therapeutic options for leishmaniasis are far from ideal, as they fail to achieve a level of efficacy that can be deemed universally effective.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPharmaceuticals (Basel)
November 2024
Laboratório de Bioquímica de Tripanosomatídeos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil.
Leishmaniasis, caused by protozoa and transmitted by vectors, presents varied clinical manifestations based on parasite species and host immunity. The lack of effective vaccines or treatments has prompted research into new therapies, including thiourea derivatives, which have demonstrated antiprotozoal activities. We synthesized two series of ,'-disubstituted thiourea derivatives through the reaction of isothiocyanates with amines.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist
December 2024
São Paulo State University (Unesp), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Araraquara, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address:
Leishmaniasis is a neglected disease that remains with a limited number of drugs available for chemotherapy and has an increased drug resistance that affects treatment outcomes. Metal-based drugs such as cyclopalladated complex [Pd(dmba)(μ-N)] (CP2), a Leishmania topoisomerase IB inhibitor involved in calcium dysregulation and mitochondrial dysfunction of the parasite, had been an alternative to outline the appearance of chemoresistance. To identify new molecular targets and point out possible resistance mechanisms, a CP2-resistant Leishmania amazonensis (LaR) was selected by stepwise exposure to increasing drug pressure until a line capable of growth in 13.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Rep
December 2024
Department of Statistics, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Gambella University, Gambella, Ethiopia.
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a neglected tropical disease that mostly affects the working-class and impoverished segments of society, having a significant negative effect on the economic development of the affected nation. While anti-leishmanial medications lower mortality among VL patients, patients may still die or require more time to recover (TTR) while receiving treatment. In this regard, there are limited studies in Ethiopia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFACS Infect Dis
January 2025
Centre of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005, U.P., India.
Protozoan parasite infections, particularly leishmaniasis, present significant public health challenges in tropical and subtropical regions, affecting socio-economic status and growth. Despite advancements in immunology, effective vaccines remain vague, leaving drug treatments as the primary intervention. However, existing medications face limitations, such as toxicity and the rise of drug-resistant parasites.
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