In vivo evaluation of the combination of a standardized extract of Brazilian Red Propolis with Praziquantel in the murine model of schistosomiasis mansoni.

• Grant number: 22/05874-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2022
• End date: July 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Parasitology - Helminthology of Parasites
• Principal Investigator: Lizandra Guidi Magalhães
• Grantee: Matheus Henrique Marques Zago
• Host Institution: Pró-Reitoria Adjunta de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação. Universidade de Franca (UNIFRAN). Franca , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Schistosomiasis is a chronic parasitic disease caused by trematodes of Schistosoma genus.According to World Health Organization (WHO), schistosomiasis affect around 250 millionpeople worldwide and other 700 million people are exposed to risk of infection by living inendemic zones. The treatment is based in only one drug, Praziquantel (PZQ). Although PZQis effective against all Schistosoma species, the treatment is less sensitive to juvenile wormsand also there are some reports of less sensitive strains to the drug. Propolis (Pps), a resinousbee product, has been studied due its large biological activities, as anti-inflammatory,microbicidal and antiparasitic. Due the complex chemical constitution of propolis, the use of astandardized extract can help to better understand the ways how propolis acts. Brazilian redpropolis (BRP) is a unique type of propolis that already shown antiparasitic activities. Also,studies carried out with the combination of PZQ and Pps shown a significant worm burdenreduction. The aim of this project is to evaluate the combination of PZQ with a standardizedextract of BRP in the experimental murine model of schistosomiasis mansoni LuisEvangelista (LE) strain. To achieve this aim, this project will evaluate the followingparameters: parasitic (worm burden, oograma, number of eggs in the liver), histopathological(quantify the number and size of granulomata) and biochemical (hepatic enzymes).