Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

In vitro activities of plant extracts on human Loa loa isolates and cytotoxicity for eukaryotic cells

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Parasitology Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Loa loa, a filarial worm, can cause fatal encephalitis in humans. In an attempt to find alternatives to the standard treatments (ivermectin and diethylcarbamazine citrate), we tested 12 methanolic extracts of nine traditional plant remedies. The extracts (100–0.09 µg/ml) were incubated with 20 Loa loa microfilariae isolated from patients at 37°C with 5% CO2 in modified Eagle’s medium supplemented with 10% fetal serum and antibiotics. Activity was evaluated 120 h later by counting live microfilariae under a microscope. Cytotoxicity for eukaryotic cells was estimated by measuring 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2-5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide transformation to formazan at 450 nM in a spectrophotometer. The plants tested were Lophira alata, Greenwayodendron suaveolens, Uapaca togoensis, Zanthoxylum heitzii, Peperomia pellucida, Piptadeniastrum africanum, Petersianthus macrocarpus, Vernonia conferta, and Vernonia hymenolepis. Chemical screening showed that most of the extracts contained reducing sugars, tannin or polyphenols, sterols or triterpenes, saponosides, and alkaloids. None contained carotinoids and few contained flavonoids. The 50% lethal concentration ranged from 0.22 to 70.28 μg/ml, while the 50% inhibitory concentration for eukaryotic cells (IC50) ranged from 8.52 to 119.52 μg/ml. Extracts of P. macrocarpus (selectivity index = 72.16), P. africanum (13.69), Z. heitzii (12.11), and L. alata (9.26) were highly selective for L. loa.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alves LC, Cavalcanti MGS, Araujo HRC, Silva GM, Veras DL, Paiva MHS, Brayner FA (2009) Ultrastructural analysis of microfilaria of Wuchereria obtained from persistent carriers after repeated courses of diethylcarbamazine. Micron 40:659–664

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Awadzi K, Boakye DA, Edwards G, Opoku NO, Attah SK, Osei-Atweneboana MY, Lazdins-Helds JK, Ardrey AE, Addy ET, Quartey BT, Ahmed K, Boatin BA, Soumbey-Alley EW (2004) An investigation of persistent microfilaridermia despite multiple treatments with ivermectin in two onchocerciasis endemic foci in Ghana. Ann Trop Med Parasitol 98:231–249

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Boatin BA, Hougard JM, Alley ES, Akpoboua LK, Yameogo L, Dembele N, Sékétéli A, Dadzie KY (1998) The impact of mectizan on the transmission of onchocerciasis. Ann Trop Med Parasitol 92(suppl 1):S46–S60

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Boulestiex G, Carme B (1986) Encéphalite au cours du traitement de la filariose à Loa loa par diethylcarbamazine. A propos de 6 observations. Bull Soc Pathol Exot 79:649–654

    Google Scholar 

  • Bourguinat C, Pion SD, Kamgno J, Gardon J, Duke BO, Boussinesq M, Prichard RK (2007) Genetic selection of low fertile Onchocerca volvulus by Ivermectin treatment. PloS Negl Trop Dis 1:e72. doi:10.1371/journalprtd0000072

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Boussinesq M, Gardon J, Gardon-Wendel N, Kamgno J, Ngoumou P, Chippaux JP (1997) Three probable cases of Loa loa encephalopathy following ivermectin treatment for onchocerciasis. Am J Trop Med Hyg 58:461–469

    Google Scholar 

  • Bruneton Jean (1999) Pharmacognosie—phytochimie, plantes médecinales. 3rd édition, Tec & Doc Lavoisier pp. 1120

  • Chatterjee RK, Fatma N, Murthy PK, Sinha P, Kulshrestha DK, Dhawan BN (1992) Macrofilaricidal activity of the stembark of Streblus asper and its major active constituents. Drug Dev Res 26:67–78

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chippaux JP, Boussinesq M, Gardon J, Gardon-Wendel N, Ernould JC (1996) Severe adverse reaction risks during mass treatment with ivermectin in loiasis-endemic areas. Parasitol Today 12:448–450

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Das LK, Subramanyam Reddy G, Pani SP (2003) Some observation on the effect of Daflon (micronized purified flavonoid fraction of Rutacea aurantiae) in Bancroftian filarial lymphoedema. Filarial J 2:1–9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Devaney E, Howell RE (1984) The microfilaricidal activity of ivermectin in vitro and in vivo. Trop Med Parasitol 35:47–49

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Feng XP, Hayashi J, Beech RN, Prichard RK (2002) Study of the nematode putative GABA type A receptor subunits: evidence for modulation by ivermectin. J Neurochem 83:870–878

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Finney DJ (1952) Probit analysis. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Fujimaki Y, Kamachi T, Yanagi T, Caceres A, Maki J, Aoki Y (2005) Macrofilaricidal and microfilaricidal effects of Neurolaena lobata, a Guatemalan medicinal plant, on Brugia pahangi. J Helminthol 79:23–28

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Guderian RH, Anselmi M, Espinel M, Mancero T, Rivadeneira G, Proano HM, Veira JC, Cooper PJ (1997) Successful control of onchocerciasis with community-based ivermectin distribution in the Rio Santiago focus in Ecuador. Trop Med Int Health 2:982–988

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Harborne JB (1973) Phytochemical methods. Chapman and Hall, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaplan RM (2004) Drug resistance in nematodes of veterinary importance: a status report. Trends Parasitol 20:477–481

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Molinari G, Soloneski S, Reigosa MA, Larramendy ML (2009) In vitro genotoxic and cytotoxic effects of ivermectin and its formulation ivomec on Chinese hamster ovary (CHOK1) cells. J Hazard Mater 165:1074–1082

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Murthy PK, Chatterjee RK (1999) Evaluation of two in vitro test systems employing Brugia malayi parasite for pre-screening of potential antifilarials. Curr Sci 77:1084–1089

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Peixoto CA, Alves LC, Brayner FA, Florencio MS (2003) Diethylcarbamazine induces loss of microfilarial sheath of Wuchereria bancrofti. Micron 34:381–385

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Prichard RK (2007) Ivermectin resistance and overview of the consortium for anthelmintic resistance SNPs. Expert Opin Drug Discovery S:S41–S52

  • Sahare KN, Anandhraman V, Meshram VG, Meshram SU, Reddy MVR, Tumane PM, Goswami K (2008a) Anti-microfilarial activity of methanolic extract of Vitex negundo and Aegle marmelos and their phytochemical analysis. Indian J Exp Biol 46:128–131

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sahare KN, Anandharaman V, Meshram VG, Meshram SU, Gajalakshmi D, Goswami K, Redd MVR (2008b) In vitro effect of four herbal plants on the motility of Brugia malayi microfilariae. Indian J Med Res 46:467–471

    Google Scholar 

  • Schneider-Orelli O (1947) Entomologisches Praktikum, 2nd edn. H.R. Sauerlander, Aaru

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh RH, Singhal KC, Khan NU (1997) Antifilarial activity of Mallotus philippensis Lam. on Setaria cervie (Nematoda: Filaroidea) in vitro. India J Physiol Pharmacol 41:397–403

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Trease GE, Evans WC (1989) Trease and Evans’ pharmacognosy. Bailliere Tindall, London

  • Van Hoegaerden M, Ivanoff B (1986) A rapid simple method for isolation of viable microfilariae. Am J Trop Med Hyg 35:148–151

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization (1997) The global programme to eliminate lymphatic filariasis. Available from: http://www.who.int/lymphatic_filariasis/diseases/programme. Accessed 3 Nov 2009

Download references

Acknowledgments

CIRMF is sponsored by the state of Gabon, Total Gabon, and Ministère Français des Affaires Etrangères. Part of this work was supported by IPHAMETRA/CENAREST Gabon. All procedures in this study are in accordance with the Gabonese laws and ethical rules. We declare no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut de Pharmacopée et de Médecine Traditionnelle (IPHAMETRA), Libreville, Gabon

    Line-Edwige Mengome & Alain Souza

  2. Unité de Recherches de Chimie, Université des Sciences et Technique de Masuku (USTM), Franceville, Gabon

    Guy Raymond Feuya Tchoua & Edouard Nsi Emvo

  3. Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville (CIRMF), BP 769, Franceville, Gabon

    Jean Paul Akue

Authors
  1. Line-Edwige Mengome
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jean Paul Akue
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Alain Souza
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Guy Raymond Feuya Tchoua
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Edouard Nsi Emvo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jean Paul Akue.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mengome, LE., Akue, J.P., Souza, A. et al. In vitro activities of plant extracts on human Loa loa isolates and cytotoxicity for eukaryotic cells. Parasitol Res 107, 643–650 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-010-1910-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-010-1910-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation