MORPHOSTRUCTURAL STUDY OF THE ANTIHELMINTHIC EFFECT OF CARICA PAPAYA SEED AQUEOUS EXTRACT AGAINST CESTODES; A HYMENOLEPIS NANA MODEL IN VIVO
Nardeen Zakka Bocktor
Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
Carica papaya seeds are known in folk medicine for their antihelminthic abilities, which have been supported by recent studies, however little is known about how they induce their action, especially on cestodes. Hymenolepis nana was employed in the current study as a cestodal model in mice to demonstrate the morphostructural changes that Carica papaya seed can inflict on intestinal cestodes. A simple aqueous extract was used to elucidate its antihelminthic action while comparing the results with that of the currently used chemotherapeutic; praziquantel. In the present study, papaya seeds have inflicted marked deformity on all functional units and most organs of adult Hymenolepis nana worms; revealing a comprehensive effect. Deformity was not only parallel to that induced by praziquantel but also associated with marked oedema and/or tissue alterations, evident by outline distortion and deeper staining of worms, in addition to candid changes in testicular structure in immature and mature segments and deforming effects on the following parasitic stage (the eggs). Being natural and non-toxic, Carica papaya seeds are thus candidate for use as an anticestodal prophylaxis and represent an opportunity for further pharmaceutical research to define new antihelminthic compounds that can back up against possible development of drug resistance.
December 2019