‘de Novo’ repurposing of Daflon as anti-intestinal parasitic drug in experimental giardiasis

Theodor Bilharz Research Institute

Bibliographic Information

Authors: Fahmy A.; Abuelenain G.L.; Rasheed N.; Abdou A.

Journal: Experimental Parasitology

Publisher: Academic Press Inc.

Publication Date: July 2021

Volume / Issue: Volume 226-227

Article No.: 108124

ISSN: 144894

DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2021.108124

Scopus: View on Scopus

PubMed: 34139241

Document Type: Article

Authors and Affiliations

Fahmy A., Parasitology Lab, Department of Immunology and Drug Evaluation, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Imbaba, Egypt; Abuelenain G.L., Parasitology Lab, Department of Immunology and Drug Evaluation, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Imbaba, Egypt; Rasheed N., Animal Health Research Institute, NRC, Giza, Egypt; Abdou A., Microbiology and Immunology Department, NRC, Giza, Egypt

Abstract

Background: There is a necessity to develop or discover an alternative drug to combat the drug resistance by Giardia duodenalis and minimize the multiple doses and frequency of the conventional drug administration. Progressive repositioning or ‘repurposing’ of drugs has become widespread due to economic circumstances and medical emergency needs. Daflon 500 mg (DFL) is a natural product used safely as a nutrient supplement and an antidiabetic drug in many European countries and the US. Objective: This study aimed at investigating the efficiency of DFL, in vivo, in a murine model as a safe alternative or co-drug for giardiasis. Materials and methods: Swiss Albino mice (n = 32) were inoculated with 1X104 Giardia cysts and assigned to four groups: One group was the infected non-treated control mice and three experimental groups that were treated differently, either with Metronidazole (MTZ), DFL, or combined therapy of DFL/MTZ. Also, eight normal mice served as a control group. All mice were sacrificed 13 days post-infection for the parasitic, histopathological, and oxidative stress analysis. Results: MTZ, DFL, and the combined therapy significantly reduced the number of trophozoites and cysts compared to their counterparts of the infected mice. The histopathological analysis of the small intestines of the mice treated with the combined therapy retained typical intestinal architecture and normal levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione. Conclusion: This study indicated promising actions of Daflon 500 as an anti-giardial drug, and the results demonstrated its potential effect in improving the intestinal epithelial tissue and disturbing the Giardia stages when it was taken collectively with Metronidazole. © 2021 Elsevier Inc.

Keywords

Anti-giardial; Daflon; Giardia; Histopathology; Repurposing; Animals; Antiprotozoal Agents; Diosmin; Drug Combinations; Feces; Giardiasis; Humans; Intestines; Metronidazole; Mice; Trophozoites; glutathione; malonaldehyde; superoxide dismutase; antiprotozoal agent; animal experiment; animal model; animal tissue; antiprotozoal activity; Article; combination drug therapy; controlled study; cyst (resting stage); drug efficacy; drug repositioning; drug safety; experimental parasitosis; in vivo study; male; monotherapy; mouse; nonhuman; animal; drug combination; drug effect; human; intestine; parasitology; pathology; trophozoite

Citation Information

Scopus Citations: 8

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