TL;DR: The rise in mf count indicated that the drug induced a very high physiological stress on the adult worms which increased the rate of discharge of the mf before impending death.
Abstract: The active principle, isolated from the funicles of A. auriculiformis, consisted of two triterpenoid saponins, acaciaside A and acaciaside B which killed in vitro 97% microfilaria of Setaria cervi in 100 min at 4mg/ml concentration and 100% of adults in 35 min. The drug, when administered orally at 100 mg/kg on rats, in which S. cervi adults were implanted intra-peritoneally, increased the blood mf count by 1.5-fold after the first phase of treatment for 10 days. Following the third phase of treatment and thereafter, the mf density was reduced by more than 80%. No toxic effect of the saponins was observed in rats. The rise in mf count indicated that the drug induced a very high physiological stress on the adult worms which increased the rate of discharge of the mf before impending death. The treated rats on autopsy did not show any adult worms.
TL;DR: It is reported for the first time that ferulic acid exerts its antifilarial effect through induction of apoptosis and by downregulating and altering the level of some key antioxidants of the filarial nematode S. cervi.
TL;DR: Identification and characterization of antigenic proteins of Setaria cervi adults and microfilariae was done by immunoblotting technique using hyperimmune rabbit sera against S. cervi and Brugia malayi showing the existence of common antigenic determinants between the bovine and human filarial parasites.
Abstract: Identification and characterization of antigenic proteins of Setaria cervi (bovine filarial parasite) adults and microfilariae was done by immunoblotting technique using hyperimmune rabbit sera against S. cervi and Brugia malayi. The antigens recognized by these sera were detected by using 125I protein-A followed by autoradiography. Fifteen different antigens were observed to be common between adult and microfilarial stages of the parasite. Some stage specific antigens were also identified. Many antigens of S. cervi adults and microfilariae were also recognized by rabbit anti-B.malayi serum showing the existence of common antigenic determinants between the bovine and human filarial parasites.
TL;DR: Alcohol and aqueous extracts of flowers of Azadirachta indica were tested in vitro for their potential antifilarial activity against whole worm, nerve muscle (n.m.) preparation and microfilariae of Setaria cervi.
TL;DR: Molecular and biochemical approaches are taken toward understanding the molecular basis for curcumin-mediated anti-filarial activity in the filarial nematode Setaria cervi and it is shown thatCurcumin causes a significant reduction in viability of Mf and adults and thus acts as a potent macro- and micro-filericidal agent.
Abstract: Curcumin (diferuloyl methane) is a major curcuminoid from Curcuma longa that exhibits various pharmacological effects and has shown multiple beneficial activities. Our understanding of its anticarcinogenic and other activities occurring through curcumin-induced apoptosis in several cancer cells has greatly expanded in recent years. Lymphatic filariasis is a worldwide health problem causing global disability in humans and is caused by filarial nematodes. Development of efficient strategies to promote programmed cell death in filarial worms remains a key challenge for anti-filarial drug developing research and a crucial unmet medical need. In this study, we have taken molecular and biochemical approaches toward understanding the molecular basis for curcumin-mediated anti-filarial activity in the filarial nematode Setaria cervi. Results of MTT assay showed that curcumin causes a significant reduction in viability of Mf and adults and thus acts as a potent macro- and micro-filaricidal agent. Hoechst staining, TUNEL staining, showed several apoptotic nuclei in different parts of curcumin-treated adults. At 25 μM concentration it showed chromosomal DNA fragmentation in adult worms. Our results indicate that curcumin decreases protein and mRNA expression levels of anti-apoptotic gene ced-9 and enhances both the levels of pro-apoptotic genes ced-3 and ced-4 in a dose-dependent manner. All these observations ascertained the apoptogenicity of curcumin at a minimum concentration of 50 μM in this filarial worm. Furthermore, we showed that curcumin causes depletion of parasitic glutathione level, enhances the activities of glutathione S-transferase and superoxide dismutase and stimulates rapid generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Here, we present molecular evidence on curcumin-induced apoptosis in the filarial nematode S. cervi with probable involvement of ROS in a caspase-dependent manner.