title: The hepatoprotective activity of blue green algae in Schistosoma mansoni infected mice.
abstract: This study aims to evaluate the immunomodulatory effects of a natural product, blue green algae (BGA) (100 mg/kg BW), alone or combined with praziquantel PZQ (250 mg/kg BW) on granulomatous inflammation, liver histopathology, some biochemical and immunological parameters in mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni. Results showed that the diameter and number of egg granuloma were significantly reduced after treatment of S. mansoni-infected mice with BGA, PZQ and their combination. The histopathological alterations observed in the liver of S. mansoni-infected mice were remarkably inhibited after BGA treatments. BGA decreased the activities of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) as well as the level of total protein (TP) while the level of albumin was increased. Treatment of infected mice with BGA, PZQ as well as their combination led to significant elevation in the activities of hepatic antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) as compared with control group. Combination of BGA and PZQ resulted in significant reduction in the level of intercellular adhesion molecules-1 (ICAM-1), vascular adhesion molecules-1 (VCAM-1) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) when compared to those of the S. mansoni-infected group. Overall, BGA significantly inhibited the liver damage accompanied with schistosomiasis, exhibited a potent antioxidant and immunoprotective activities. This study suggests that BGA can be considered as promising for development a complementary and/or alternative medicine against schistosomiasis.
authors.affiliation: Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Menufiya University, Egypt.
authors.forename: Azza H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.affiliation: Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Menufiya University, Egypt.
authors.forename: Gamalat Y
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Osman
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biology Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Institute, Sadat City University, Egypt.
authors.forename: Tarek A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Salem
authors.affiliation: Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Menufiya University, Egypt. Electronic address: smalawany@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Alshimaa M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Elmalawany
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000502:physiology*; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000097:blood; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000097:blood; D006099:Granuloma / Q000473:pathology; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D011223:Praziquantel / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011897:Random Allocation; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D001798:Blood Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D019010:Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D011223:Praziquantel; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase
keywords: Adhesion molecules; Antioxidant enzymes; Blue green algae; Granuloma; Schistosoma mansoni; Tumor necrosis factor-alpha