Volume 228, 15 September 2016, Pages 160–166
Research paper
- a Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas, Gerais, Brazil
- b Departamento de Produtos Farmacêuticos, Faculdade de Fármacia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
- c Departamento de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Brazil
- d Department of Statistics, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, MG, Brazil
- Received 23 May 2016, Revised 19 August 2016, Accepted 31 August 2016, Available online 11 September 2016
Highlights
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- Momordica charantia prevent embryogenesis in Fasciola hepatica eggs.
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- Anti-ovicidal activity against F. hepatica of the flavonoid quercetin M. charantia.
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- Momordica charantia is a potential alternative to control helminth parasites.
Abstract
Fasciolosis, a parasitic disease caused by the trematode Fasciola hepatica
underreported is expanding both in human and animal population,
throughout the world. The constant use of synthetic drugs to treat this
condition has led to the natural selection of resistant strains of the
parasite. Hence, there is a growing focus on the potential
anti-helminthic properties of medicinal plants and phytopharmaceuticals.
The current study assessed the potential anti-fasciolicide action of Momordica charantia leaf extracts and fractions on the eggs of F. hepatica parasites. The lyophilized crude extract (CE) of M. charantia
leaves and its sub-fractions, obtained from liquid–liquid partitioning
with organic solvents, were analysed by High Performance Liquid
Chromatography (HPLC), suspended in 1% DMSO and used in in vitro tests. Quadruplicates of 50 F. hepatica eggs were incubated at 23 °C with M. charantia
leaf CE in different concentrations. After 12 days no larvae were
formed in eggs incubated with CE concentrations above 12.5 mg/mL. Eggs
incubated with CE sub-fractions at concentrations of 1000, 100, 10, 1,
0.1, 0.01 μg/mL affected embryonic development, with n-butanol
presenting the strongest inhibition of miracidia formation. In contrast,
on the 12th day, 90% of the miracidia hatched in the control
experiments using 0.03% DMSO whereas embryogenesis was completely
abolished with any concentration of albendazole sulphoxide ABZ(SO).
Chemical analysis of the CE and sub-fractions revealed a prominent
presence of flavonoids. HPLC–MS confirmed Quercetin to be one of the
main flavonoids present in the CE and the n-butanol subfraction. This is the first study to analyse the potential anti-fasciolicide action of M. charantia leaf CE and subfractions.
Graphical abstract
Keywords
- Fasciola hepatica;
- Momordica charantia L.;
- Flavonoid;
- Quercetin;
- Anti-ovicidal activity
