Application potential of arecoline hydrobromide for anti-Toxoplasma gondii.

Although long-term chewing areca nut may cause cancer, it is very feasible to treat human or livestock diseases in a short period of time. In this study, arecoline hydrobromide (AH), which is extracted from Areca catechu, significantly inhibited the proliferation of tachyzoites ofToxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) in vitro and in vivo. Specially,in vivo AH effectively resisted liver damage originate fromT. gondii. Furthemore, the survival and safety evaluation outcome indicated that AH can prolong survival period of mice infected with T. gondii at non-toxic and side-effect dose. Based on these advantages, AH is a candidate compound with great potential for the treatment of T. gondii infection and it may be used clinically in the future.