Author/Authors :
Montazeri، Mahbobeh نويسنده Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, IR Iran , , Daryani، Ahmad نويسنده Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, IR Iran , , Ebrahimzadeh، Mohammadali نويسنده Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences Sari, IR Iran , , Ahmadpour، Ehsan نويسنده Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, IR Iran , , Sharif University، Mehdi M نويسنده اطلاعاتي از وابستگي سازماني در دست نمي باشد. , , Sarvi، Shahabeddin نويسنده Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, IR Iran ,
Abstract :
Background: Toxoplasmosis is a public health problem worldwide. This complication principally affects immunodeficient patients and pregnant women. Toxoplasma gondii is an opportunistic parasite, causing severe illness among and death of high-risk individuals and treatment is becoming increasingly difficult owing to side effects and low efficacies of drugs.
Objectives: In this study, we investigated the anti-Toxoplasma gondii efficacy of propranolol in vivo.
Materials and Methods: This study was performed in two separate pre-treatment and post-treatment groups. In each group, 18 female Balb/c mice in six subgroups (n = 3) were used to assess the anti-Toxoplasma effect of propranolol at 2 and 3 mg/kg/day, pyrimethamine at 50 mg/kg/day, propranolol at 2 and 3 mg/kg/day plus pyrimethamine, and phosphate-buffered saline (PBS; as negative control). Treatment was performed 4, 24, and 48 hours before and after an intraperitoneal challenge of 1 × 103 tachyzoites of the virulent RH strain of T. gondii, in pre-treatment and post-treatment groups. Mice peritoneal exudates were collected on the seventh day after the challenge and parasite numbers were recorded as percent of growth inhibition and survival rate.
Results: In the pre-treatment group, results showed that propranolol at 2 and 3 mg/kg combined with pyrimethamine was more effective in inhibiting growth of tachyzoites (86% and 98%, respectively) when compared with propranolol at 2 and 3 mg/kg (37% and 39%, respectively) and pyrimethamine (41%) alone. In the post-treatment group, all combined treatments significantly reduced parasite load. The growth inhibition of tachyzoites in mice receiving propranolol (2 and 3 mg/kg) was 75% and 51%, with the mean tachyzoites count being 1526 ± 171.4 and 2948 ± 1452.8, respectively, compared with pyrimethamine treatment outcome, which represents 99.9% growth inhibition.
Conclusions: Our results demonstrated the promising prophylactic and therapeutic effects of propranolol against T. gondii infection. Propranolol also increases the efficacy of pyrimethamine in combination therapies.
