Effect of the iron chelator deferoxamine on Trichomonas vaginalis in vitro

The effect of 10 microMol, 15 microMol, 30 microMol, and 60 microMol concentrations of deferoxamine (DFO), a clinically approved iron chelator, was determined on viability and multiplication of Trichomonas vaginalis grown in TYM axenic culture medium at 24 hours interval. DFO killed all T. vaginalis isolates with a minimum lethal concentration of 30 microMol after 48 hours culture incubation with the drug. A potent and persistent inhibitory effect of DFO on the parasite viability and multiplication was recorded throughout the study till its end, in a drug concentration and time exposure-dependent manner. Furthermore, the present work studied the proteinase activity of T. vaginalis grown for 48 hours in DFO inoculated TYM medium, and recorded a significant decrease by all drug concentrations applied in the work. Different possible mechanisms of action of DFO against T. vaginalis and its possible use for treatment of trichomoniasis are discussed.