title: Ginger (Zingiber officinale) induces apoptosis in Trichomonas vaginalis in vitro.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Trichomoniasis is the most common sexually transmitted protozoan diseases in the worldwide. Metronidazole is the choice drug for trichomoniasis treatment, however, metronidazole resistantTrichomonas vaginalis(T.vaginalis) has been reported. Natural products are the source of most new drugs, andZingiber officinale(Ginger)is widely used ingredient in the traditional medicine.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of different concentrations of the ginger ethanol extract on the growth ofT.vaginalistrophozoites in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this experimental study, 970 women who were attend in Kashan health centers were examined forT. vaginalis. Of them, 23 samples were infected withT.vaginalis. ThreeT. vaginalisisolates were cultured in a TYI-S-33 medium. The effect of ginger ethanol extracts and its toxicity in different concentrations (25, 50, 100, 200, 400, 800 µg/ml) on mouse macrophages were measured in triplicate exam by MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay. The effect of ginger on apoptosis induction was determined by Flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The IC50of ginger and metronidazole were 93.8 and 0.0326 µg/ml, respectively. 12, 24 and 48 hr after adding different concentrations of extract on mouse macrophages, fatality rates in maximum dose (800 µg/ml) were 0.19, 0.26 and 0.31 respectively. Flow cytometry results showed the apoptosis rate following treatment with different concentrations of the extract after 48 hr were 17, 28.5, 42.1, 58.8, 76.3 and 100% respectively, while in the control group was 2.9%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ginger ethanol extract induces programmed death inT. vaginalis. It is recommended that due to the known teratogenic effect of metronidazole, ginger can be considered as an alternative drug for metronidazole.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Parasitology, School of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arbabi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Parasitology, School of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mahdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Delavari
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Parasitology, School of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
authors.forename: Zohre
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fakhrieh Kashan
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Nutrition, School of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohsen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taghizadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Parasitology, School of Medicine, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hooshyar
keywords: 3-(4-5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2; 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay; Apoptosis; Extract; Ginger; IC50; In vitro; Trichomonas vaginalis; Zingiber officinale