title: Effect of Mexican medicinal plant used to treat trichomoniasis on Trichomonas vaginalis trophozoites.
abstract: Crude methanolic extracts from 22 Mexican medicinal plants were screened for antitrichomonal activity against Trichomonas vaginalis, which is the etiological agent of trichomoniasis. Among the plants tested Carica papaya and Cocos nucifera showed the best antitrichomonal activity with IC(50) values of 5.6 and 5.8 microg/ml, respectively. The extracts of Bocconia frutescens, Geranium mexicanum, and Lygodium venustum showed moderate activity with IC(50) values ranging from 30.9 to 60.9 microg/ml. All the other plant extracts were inactive (IC(50)>100 microg/ml). All extracts tested were less active than metronidazole (IC(50) 0.037 microg/ml), an antiprotozoal drug used as positive control. The results of the antiprotozoal screening support the popular uses of five of the plants tested for the treatment of some urogenital tract disorders in Mexican traditional medicine. However, seeds of Carica papaya and aerial parts of Bocconia frutescens should be used in herbal medicine with care to avoid toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Investigación Médica en Farmacología de Productos Naturales, UMAE Hospital de Pediatría, 2 Piso, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, IMSS, Av. Cuauhtemoc 330, Col. Doctores, CP 06725, México D.F., Mexico. fercalberl@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Calzada
authors.forename: Lilian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yépez-Mulia
authors.forename: Amparo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tapia-Contreras
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000994:Antitrichomonal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D029441:Carica / Q000737:chemistry; D003059:Cocos / Q000737:chemistry; D031315:Geranium / Q000737:chemistry; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D000432:Methanol / Q000737:chemistry; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000494:pharmacology; D008800:Mexico; D028101:Papaveraceae / Q000737:chemistry; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification; D051381:Rats; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry; D014246:Trichomonas vaginalis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D053058:Trophozoites / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D000994:Antitrichomonal Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D008795:Metronidazole; D000432:Methanol