Prof. Dr. Hanaa Kamil Hamad
Department of Biology, College of Science for Women, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq
ABSTRACT
Blastocystis sp. is a mysterious, polymorphic anaerobic single-celled protozoan that can reside in the intestinal tract of humans and various animals. Metronidazole is the most widely accepted treatment for Blastocystis; however, several cases of treatment failure and resistant strains have been reported. In recent years, numerous studies have been conducted to discover new treatments for Blastocystis infections, with a special focus on natural products. In vitro, incubation of the parasite with Artemisia annua (200, 400µg/mL), Chitosan nanoparticles (20, 50 μg/mL), and metronidazole (100 µg/mL). Viable parasites were counted after 24, 48, and 72 hours of incubation. Chitosan nanoparticles loaded with Artemisia annua demonstrated a statistically significant (p < 0.05) reduction in the growth of Blastocystis sp. in culture, 98.3% after 72 hours of incubation. Thus, the present research represents the first in vitro evaluation of the potential of using chitosan nanoparticles in combination with Artemisia annua against Blastocystis sp, compared to single treatment. The results demonstrated that the synergistic action of these compounds has potential therapeutic effects against Blastocystis sp., suggesting they could serve as effective and safe natural alternatives.
Keywords: Blastocystis, Artemisia, in Vitro, Chitosan Nanoparticles, Metronidazole.
