Promising therapeutic effects of Portulaca Oleracea loaded iron oxide nanoparticles in Toxoplasma gondii infection in mice

Theodor Bilharz Research Institute

Bibliographic Information

Authors: El-Wakil E.S.; Farid M.; Kholy W.A.E.

Journal: Journal of Parasitic Diseases

Publisher: Springer

Publication Date: 19 August 2025

Volume / Issue: Volume 49 / Issue 4

Pages: 1022–1031

ISSN: 9717196

DOI: 10.1007/s12639-025-01846-8

Scopus: View on Scopus

Document Type: Article

Authors and Affiliations

El-Wakil E.S., Department of Parasitology, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Kornaish El-Nile St, Giza, 12411, Egypt; Farid M., Sciences Academy of Experimental Researches, Special Scientific Foundation, Mansoura, Egypt; Kholy W.A.E., Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine for Girls, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

There are few treatment options available to treat toxoplasmosis. So, investigating possible antiparasitic agents from plants and nanoparticles that are widely available and reasonably priced might be a good substitute. This study aimed to examine the effect of Portulaca oleracea (P. oleracea) aqueous and methanolic extracts as a sole agent or loaded on iron oxide nanoparticles (FeONPs) compared to spiramycin on a murine model of Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) ME49 strain. Forty-eight Swiss albino mice were put into eight groups: GI: uninfected negative control; GII: infected, untreated positive control; GIII, GIV, GV, GVI, GVII, and GVIII: infected, treated with spiramycin (200 mg/kg), FeONPs (2.5 mg/kg), P. oleracea aqueous extract (2.5 mg/kg), P. oleracea methanolic extractt (2.5 mg/kg), P. oleracea aqueous extract loaded on FeONPs (2.5 mg/kg) and P. oleracea methanolic extract loaded on FeONPs (2.5 mg/kg) respectively. To evaluate the treatment effectiveness, parasitological counting for T. gondii cysts and histopathological assessment for brain sections using H&E were used. Also, the immunohistochemical expression of the ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba-1) was investigated. T. gondii cysts number in the infected treated mice brains was significantly reduced, with GVIII having the best therapeutic efficacy with an efficiency percentage of 84% (P > 0.000). Also, this group had a remarkable improvement in the pathological changes induced by T. gondii and the highest reduction of Iba-1 expression (P > 0.000). According to this study, P. oleracea loaded on FeONPs could be a potential therapeutic candidate for treating toxoplasmosis, and administering the medications as nanoparticles enhances their therapeutic effect. © Indian Society for Parasitology 2025.

Keywords

FeONPs; In vivo; Methanolic extract; Toxoplasmosis; Treatment; ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1; iron oxide nanoparticle; isoflurane; methanol; peptides and proteins; Portulaca oleracea extract; spiramycin; unclassified drug; animal experiment; animal model; animal tissue; Article; cell infiltration; comparative study; controlled study; dispersity; gene expression; histopathology; immunohistochemistry; inflammatory cell; male; mouse; nonhuman; parasitology; Portulaca oleracea; Toxoplasma gondii

Citation Information

Scopus Citations: 2

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