Evaluation of the in vitro and in vivo inhibitory effects of Artemisia herba-alba against the growth of piroplasm parasites.

OBJECTIVE

The effect of Artemisia herba-alba methanolic extract monotherapy and combination therapies on the in vitro growth of several Babesia and Theileria parasites in vitro and mice was investigated in this study.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Fluorescence assay using SYBR Green I stain was used to evaluate the antibabesial efficacy inhibitory of A. herba-alba either in vitro or in vivo. Hematological parameters in the treated mice were analyzed using a Celltac MEK-6450 computerized hematology analyzer.

RESULTS

Artemisia herba-alba reduced the growth of Babesia bovis, Babesia bigemina, Babesia divergens, Theileria equi, and Babesia caballi in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. The in vitro inhibitory impact of A. herba-alba on B. divergens and B. caballi cultures was amplified when combined with either diminazene aceturate (DA). In B. microti-infected mice, a combination therapy consisting of A. herba-alba and a low DA dose inhibited B. microti growth significantly (p < 0.05) better than treatment with 25 mg kg-1 DA.

CONCLUSIONS

These data show that A. herba-alba, when paired with a modest DA dose, could be a promising medicinal plant for babesiosis treatment.