Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Medicine

510-517

Authors: Erlândia Alves Magalhaes Queiroz, Raquel Teixeira Terceiro Paim, Sandra Machado Lira, José Ytalo Gomes da Silva, Carla Laíne Silva Lima, Marcelo Oliveira Holanda, et al

Objective: To investigate the effect of administration of Passiflora glandulosa (P. glandulosa) fruit rinds flour on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice. Methods: The preliminary phytochemical screening and parameters such as centesimal composition and brine shrimp toxicity were evaluated. For in vivo study Swiss female mice were divided into four groups: NC-normal control; DC-diabetic control animals receiving saline; MET-diabetic animals receiving metformin (200 mg/kg); PFRF-diabetic animals receiving P. glandulosa fruit rinds flour (200 mg/kg). All of them were treated for 28 d. STZ was used in a single dose of 120 mg/kg to establish diabetic models. Body weight, water and food intake, fasting blood glucose were measured. Histopathological analysis of pancreas and liver were performed to evaluate STZ-induced tissue injuries. Results: Phytochemical screening showed the presence of flavanones and triterpenoids. The P. glandulosa fruit rinds flour was non-toxic by the brine shrimp test. The fruit rinds flour also reduced the loss of body weight and significantly decreased food intake in the diabetic mice. Additionally, a significant reduction in blood glucose was observed for 15 d and this was maintained on 21 d and 28 d when compared with diabetic mice. Furthermore, the P. glandulosa fruit rinds flour has a favourable effect on the histopathological changes of the pancreas in STZ induced diabetes. Conclusions: It is concluded that P. glandulosa fruit rinds flour is a natural product that contains potent antioxidant compounds and presents good prospects for the improvement of diabetic mellitus by reducing serum glucose levels.

526-533

Authors: Aioub Sofizadeh, Yavar Rassi, Ahmad Ali Hanafi-Bojd, Hamid Reza Shoraka, Fatemeh Mesgarian, Sayena Rafizadeh

Objective: To determine both the distribution and the ecological characteristics of sand flies in Golestan Province, northeast of Iran in 2016. Methods: In this study, 34 villages were selected based on their geographical conditions. Sticky paper traps were used for collecting the sand flies. Sampling was carried out in each of villages from May to November. In each village, 60 traps for indoors and 60 for outdoors were monthly installed. The species of all collected sand flies were determined using approved morphological keys. Pearson coefficient correlation was used to find the relationship between the number of collected Phlebotomus papatasi from different villages and incidence rate of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis as well as the number of positive cases of the disease. The altitude of the studied villages was extracted from digital elevation model of the area using GIS and vegetation cover density index of the province was extracted from Modis satellite imagery and distribution map of sand flies drown up. Results: Overall, 5 428 sand flies were collected and identified, belonging to 18 species. Phlebotomus wenyoni was reported for the first time from the area in this study. The frequency of sand flies in the villages located in northeast of the Golestan province (the plateau area, lower altitude, arid and semi-arid climates, and lower vegetation cover density), were more than other villages in this province. There was a significant correlation between the number of collected Phlebotomus papatasi and incidence rate of the zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis cases in different villages (r=0.837, P=0.019) as well as the number of positive cases of the disease (r=0.688, P<0.001). Conclusions: In the northeaster areas of Golestan Province which is known as the endemic foci of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis, the abundance of sand flies were more and the conditions for their growth and development were more appropriate.

540-546

Authors: Satyajit Tripathy, Sourav Chattopadhyay, Sandeep Kr Dash, Motlalepula G Matsabisa, Somenath Roy

Objective: To compare the protective effects of chitosan-trypolyphosphate (CS-TPP) nanoparticle conjugated chloroquine(CQ) with effect of CQ alone on the reversal of splenic damages and induction of apoptosis. Methods: Different researches have been carried out to explore the potential role of chitosan based drug delivery system against parasitic diseases. After successive Plasmodium berghei NK65 parasiste infection by intraperitoneal injection in Swiss mice and subsequent parasite development, the ROS generation, anti-apoptotic and pro apoptotic protein levels in spleen were measured. To analyze caspases, flow cytometry study was performed with annexin V -FITC and with PI staining. Results: The results revealed that ROS mediated caspase 3 and 9 activation and the induction of apoptosis occurred during the parasitic infection. However, CS-TPP conjugated CQ was relatively better in reversing the splenic damage compared with similar effects of CQ alone. Conclusions: This study indicates that Plasmodium berghei NK65 induces apoptosis in the spleen. The study further shows that CS-TPP nanoparticles conjugation with CQ have positive influence on the recovery of damaged host’s system towards maintenance of normal homeostasis, and this is shown to be selective to CS-TPP conjugated CQ treated animals only.