TITLE:
Hepatoprotective, Antioxidant and Immunological Activities of the Ethanolic Ficus carica Leave Extract and/or PZQ in Schistosoma mansoni Infected Mice
AUTHORS:
Eman A. El-Shabasy, Shrouk M. A. El-Morsy, Maher A. Amer
KEYWORDS:
Bilharziasis, Mice, Liver Damage, Oxidative Stress, Antioxidant, Ficus carica Leave Extract, Hepatoprotective, PZQ
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.9 No.10,
October
18,
2022
ABSTRACT: Egypt is considered one of the countries with large liver disease burden in the world being endemic with bilharziasis and hepatitis C for decades. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of Ficus carica (leaves ethanolic extract) alone and combined with PZQ against S. mansoni in the experimentally infected mice. The biochemical parameters, oxidative stress markers, immunological parameters in liver and in worms of S. mansoni (Poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) were also assayed. After administration of Ficus extract, an increased level of MDA and decreased activities of SOD, GSH and CAT were restored and inhibited the elevation of ALT, AST and ALP activities in addition to improve TP and globulin levels in serum or liver tissue in comparison with infected untreated animals. Moreover, the plant extract showed decrease in the hepatic propotions of CD4, CD25 and FOXP3 in addition to PARP propotion in worms as compared with infected untreated animals. In the present study, the best results were obtained in the group of mice treated with Ficus extract plus PZQ together in comparison to Ficus extract or PZQ treated group alone. These observations may be attributed to a synergetic action between PZQ and the active gradient compounds of the used extract, with antiparasitic, antioxidant and antifibrotic properties. These findings support the medicinal value of Ficus extract against S. mansoni and hepatic damage induced in the experimentally infected mice.