Effect of Nigella sativa alcoholic extract and oil, as well as Phaseolus vulgaris (kidney bean) lectin on the ultrastructure of Trichomonas vaginalis trophozoites.
Trichomonas vaginalis is a parasitic protozoan that is the aetiological agent of trichomoniasis, the most common non-viral sexually transmitted disease worldwide. Currently, the compound of choice for the treatment of T. vaginalis infections is metronidazole, however, it has many side effects and an increase in metronidazole-resistant trichomoniasis has been observed. Medicinal plants could be a source of new antiprotozoal drugs with high activity, low toxicity and lower price. The present work was carried out to investigate the therapeutic potential of Nigella sativa alcoholic extract and oil, as well as Phaseolus vulgaris (kidney bean) lectin and their in vitro activity on the ultrastructure of T. vaginalis trophozoites in comparison to metronidazole, as detected by transmission electron microscope. Both N. sativa oil and P. vulgaris lectin showed high toxic effect as evidenced by severe cell damage with cytoplasmic and nuclear destruction, while the effect of N. sativa alcoholic extract was moderate. Therefore, these two extracts could offer an effective, cheaper and more safe alternative for metronidazole in treatment of trichomoniasis.
Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, 11566 Egypt.
Heba AbdelKader
HA
Aminou
Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, 11566 Egypt.
Yosra Hussein
YH
Alam-Eldin
Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Abbassia, Cairo, 11566 Egypt.
Hanan Ahmed
HA
Hashem
Nigella sativa extracts; Phaseolus vulgaris lectin; Transmission electron microscope; Trichomonas vaginalis