Antiprotozoal potential of anethum graveolens and punica granatum plant extracts against giardia lamblia

Abstract EN

Giardiasis is worldwide spread disease caused by the protozoan Giardia species.

Its treatment includes drugs which may produce side effects and, in addition, onset of chemical resistance of this pathogenic protozoan.

With the purpose of searching for new natural anti-protozoal chemotherapy, Anethum graveolens and Punica granatum two plants of the family Apiaceae, and Lythraceae respectively,are used in traditional medicine against intestinal disorders were selected to evaluate their petroleumfpet.) ether, ethyl acetate, methanol and aqueous leaves extracts activity against G.

lamblia trophozoite.

petroleum(pet.) ether extract from A.

graveolens was strongly active against G.

lamblia (IC5I) = 30.807 mg ml'1) and no activity of P.

granatum.

Ethyl acetate extracts from A.

graveolens and P.

granatum showed no activity against G.

lamblia.

Methanol extracts from A.

graveolens showed a good activity against G.

lamblia (IC50 - 11.248 mg ml'1) and a strong activity of P.

granatum (IC5n = 0.719 mg ml'1).

The aqueous extracts from A.

graveolens showed no activity against G.

lamblia and strong activity of P.

granatum (ICSu = 0.12 mg ml'1).

Such results indicate A.

graveolens methanol extracts and the aqueous extracts from P.

granatum as possible candidates for further investigations to isolate and characterize protozoal agents.