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Home / Equine Research Bank / Vet Parasitol / Anti-protozoal efficacy of medicinal herb extracts against T...
Veterinary parasitology2003; 116(1); 7-14; doi: 10.1016/s0304-4017(03)00154-7

Anti-protozoal efficacy of medicinal herb extracts against Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum.

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine whether alcohol extracts of herbs (Sophora flavescens Aiton, Sinomenium acutum (Thunb.) Rehder and E.H. Wilson, Pulsatilla koreana (Yabe ex Nakai) Nakai ex T. Mori, Ulmus macrocarpa Hance and Torilis japonica (Houtt.) DC.) from South Korea, possess in vitro anti-protozoal activity against cultures of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum. These herbs have been used as human anti-parasitics in Asian countries for many years. Alcohol extracts of these herbs were serially diluted to final concentrations ranging from 625 to 19.5 ng/ml in media and added to wells containing either T. gondii or N. caninum tachyzoites in equine dermal (ED) cells. Parasite growth inhibition was measured using 3H-uracil incorporation as compared to untreated controls. T. japonica inhibited T. gondii proliferation by 99.3, 95.5, 73.0 and 54.0% in the range from 156 to 19.5 ng/ml, and S. flavescens inhibited T. gondii proliferation by 98.7, 83.0 and 27.2% in the range from 156 to 39 ng/ml. T. japonica inhibited N. caninum proliferation by 97.8, 97.9, 85.3 and 46.4% in the range from 156 to 19.5 ng/ml. S. flavescens inhibited N. caninum proliferation by 98.6, 97.0, 69.5 and 14.0% in the range from 156 to 19.5 ng/ml. Toxicity to host cells was noted when concentrations of T. japonica and S. flavescens exceeded 625 ng/ml. The herb extracts from S. acutum, Pulsatilla koreana, and U. macrocarpa also showed toxicity at higher levels but did not achieve the same inhibition effects at the lower concentrations against T. gondii and N. caninum as T. japonica and S. flavescens.
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Publication Date: 2003-10-02 PubMed ID: 14519322DOI: 10.1016/s0304-4017(03)00154-7Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article
  • Research Support
  • Non-U.S. Gov't

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The study investigates the anti-protozoal properties of certain South Korean medicinal herbs against Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum. Key findings indicate that alcohol extracts of Torilis japonica and Sophora flavescens significantly inhibit the growth of these parasites in vitro.

Objective of the Study

  • The aim of this research was to evaluate the efficacy of five different medicinal herbs from South Korea against protozoan parasites Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum.

Methodology

  • The herbs studied were Sophora flavescens Aiton, Sinomenium acutum, Pulsatilla koreana, Ulmus macrocarpa Hance, and Torilis japonica.
  • Researchers used alcohol extracts of these herbs, which were then serially diluted to concentrations that ranged from 625 to 19.5 ng/ml.
  • The dilutions were added to wells with either T. gondii or N. caninum within equine dermal cells.
  • The level of parasite growth inhibition was measured by comparing 3H-uracil incorporation to untreated controls.

Key Findings

  • The alcohol extract from T. japonica inhibited T. gondii growth by 54.0% to 99.3% over a range from 156 to 19.5 ng/ml, and S. flavescens extract inhibited growth by 27.2% to 98.7% over the same concentration range.
  • The same herbs inhibited N. caninum, with T. japonica achieving 46.4% to 97.8% inhibition, and S. flavescens achieving 14.0% to 98.6% inhibition.
  • Toxicity to host cells was observed when achieving concentrations exceeding 625 ng/ml with extracts from T. japonica and S. flavescens.
  • Other herbal extracts from S. acutum, Pulsatilla koreana, and U. macrocarpa also displayed toxicity at higher concentrations, but weren’t as effective at inhibiting T. gondii and N. caninum at lower concentrations.

Implications

  • The findings indicate that the herbs T. japonica and S. flavescens, commonly used in traditional South Korean medicine, demonstrate in vitro anti-protozoal activity against T. gondii and N. caninum.
  • This suggests potential utility for these herbs, or their active compounds, in developing treatments for protozoal infections. Nevertheless, precautions should be made about potential toxicity at high concentrations.

Cite This Article

APA
Youn HJ, Lakritz J, Kim DY, Rottinghaus GE, Marsh AE. (2003). Anti-protozoal efficacy of medicinal herb extracts against Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum. Vet Parasitol, 116(1), 7-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0304-4017(03)00154-7

Publication

Veterinary parasitology
ISSN: 0304-4017
NlmUniqueID: 7602745
Country: Netherlands
Language: English
Volume: 116
Issue: 1
Pages: 7-14

Researcher Affiliations

Youn, H J
  • Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea. younhj@snu.ac.kr
Lakritz, J
    Kim, D Y
      Rottinghaus, G E
        Marsh, A E

          MeSH Terms

          • Animals
          • Korea
          • Neospora / drug effects
          • Plant Extracts / pharmacology
          • Plants, Medicinal / chemistry
          • Toxoplasma / drug effects
          • Uracil / metabolism

          Citations

          This article has been cited 13 times.
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