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New Plant Species Showing Antiprotozoian Activity
E G Cheremnykh1, A V Osipov2, V G Starkov2
1Mental Health Research Centre, Moscow, Russia.
Doklady. Biochemistry and Biophysics
|February 14, 2023
Summary
Plant extracts from Russia and Vietnam were tested against the ciliate Tetrahymena pyriformis. Several plants, including wormwood and licorice, showed antiprotozoal activity, with new findings for lilac and elm.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry
- Protozoology and Parasitology
- Microbiology and Cell Biology
Background:
- Protozoan infections pose significant health challenges.
- Natural products from plants are a potential source of antimicrobial agents.
- Tetrahymena pyriformis serves as a model organism for studying protozoal interactions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the antiprotozoal activity of plant extracts from Russia and Vietnam.
- To identify plant species with potential therapeutic applications against protozoa.
- To explore the consistency of antiprotozoal activity in plants from different geographical regions.
Main Methods:
- Extraction of plant materials using acidic, alkaline, and aqueous ethanol solutions.
- Incubation of Tetrahymena pyriformis with various concentrations of plant extracts.
- Quantification of ciliate survival rates after 1 and 24 hours of exposure.
Main Results:
- Extracts from several plant species demonstrated significant antiprotozoal activity against T. pyriformis.
- Established antiprotozoal activity was confirmed for wormwood, harmala, and licorice.
- Antiprotozoal activity was identified for the first time in extracts of lilac, chondrilla, cinquefoil, hop, and elm.
Conclusions:
- Plant-derived secondary metabolites possess consistent antiprotozoal properties across different geographical origins.
- Lilac, chondrilla, cinquefoil, hop, and elm represent novel sources of antiprotozoal compounds.
- T. pyriformis is a valuable model for screening natural products for antiprotozoal efficacy.
Keywords:
Tetrahymena pyriformisantiprotozoal activitychondrillacinquefoilelmhoplicoricelilacnettlewormwoodMore Related Videos
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