Studies on the use of Yucca schidigera to control giardiosis

The potential anti-giardial activity of a powdered preparation of Yucca schidigera (yucca powder) was investigated in vitro, in a modified adherence inhibition assay, and in vivo, by enumeration of trophozoites (intestinal) or cysts (fecal) in experimentally infected gerbils and lambs receiving oral doses of whole or butanol-extracted yucca powder. Yucca powder, butanol-, acetone- and chloroform-extracted powder, and the butanol-insoluble fraction of the powder were required in concentrations of 22, 15, 62, 135 and 250 microg/ml, respectively, to reduce in vitro trophozoite adherence by 50%. Ethyl ether extract exhibited no anti-giardial activity. Virtually no trophozoites were tolerant of butanol extract at >or=90 microg/ml. Butanol extract at 1500 microg/ml exerted effects on trophozoites similar to the nitroimidazole, metronidazole, at 40 microg/ml during a 27-h incubation. Reducing trophozoite adherence to 50% of the controls required 5-10h of exposure to butanol extract or metronidazole. Oral administration of butanol extract (6.1mg) or metronidazole (1mg) once daily for 3 days reduced the number of trophozoites in the small intestine of infected gerbils, significantly (P<0.05) in the jejunum and ileum, and numerically (P>0.05) in the duodenum (n=8). Oral dosing of 50mg of butanol extract in eight doses over 3 days reduced (P<0.05) trophozoites in the duodenum and jejunum, and eliminated them from the ileum. Including 4.5% (w/w) yucca powder in the diet did not alter Giardia trophozoite recovery from the duodenum or jejunum of infected gerbils, but trophozoite reduction (P=0.051) was observed in the ileum (n=9). Jejunum gut loop data were inconclusive, possibly due to insufficient duration of exposure of trophozoites to butanol extract. Compared to controls (0g yucca powder per day) lambs receiving 10g of yucca powder per day in their diet shed fewer (P<0.05) Giardia cysts in their feces after 5, 9, 12 and 19 days of treatment, but a corresponding decline in the prevalence of infection was not observed (n=10). After 26 days, Giardia infections persisted in 90% of the lambs in both treatment groups. At the dosing levels studied in vivo, yucca powder did not affect the extent of cyst shedding by experimentally infected lambs, but further purification and concentration of the saponin fraction from Y. schidigera may provide the anti-giardial effects observed in vitro and in dosing trials.