Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 11, 2026
A Genetic Screen to Isolate Toxoplasma gondii Host-cell Egress Mutants
Published on: February 8, 2012
Anti-Toxoplasma Activities of Some Egyptian Plant Extracts: An In Vitro Study
Sara T Elazab1, Fadwa M Arafa2
1Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, 35516, Egypt. sara.taha@ymail.com.
Purpose:
Toxoplasmosis is a globally widespread parasitic disease which causes major health problems in human and animals. This research was conducted to assess the effect of some Egyptian herbal extracts against Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) tachyzoites in vitro.
Methods:
The methanol extracts of Withania somnifera, Cyper rotundus, Acacia nilotica, Chrysanthemum cinerariae folium, Anethum graveolens, Raphanus sativus, Ceratonia siliqua, Elettaria cardamomum and Cuminum cyminum were tested against T. gondii tachyzoites.
Results:
Among the tested plants, the extracts from Raphanus sativus, Cuminum cyminum, and Ceratonia siliqua exhibited high anti-Toxoplasma activities at 50 µg/ml, relative to sulfadiazine. They showed low IC50 values on T. gondii (7.92, 9.47 and 13.52 µg/ml, respectively) and high selectivity index values (100.79, 59.19, and 29.05, respectively). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) findings indicated evident morphological changes in tachyzoites treated with these three herbal extracts.
Conclusion:
Raphanus sativus, Ceratonia siliqua, and Cuminum cyminum methanol extracts could be promising sources of new medicament for toxoplasmosis.
