Atorvastatin: In-Vivo Synergy with Metronidazole as Anti-Blastocystis Therapy.
Blastocystis is an enteric Straminopile in tropical, subtropical and developing countries. Metronidazole has been a chemotheraputic for blastocystosis. Failures in its regimens were reported and necessitate new studies searching for alternative therapeutic agents. Aim of current study is to investigate potential effects of Atorvastatin (AVA) compared to the conventional chemotherapeutic MTZ in experimentally Blastocystis-infected mice. Anti-Blastocystis efficacy of AVA was evaluated parasitologically, histopathologically and by transmission electron microscopy using MTZ (10 mg/kg) as a control. Therapeutic efficacy of AVA was apparently dose-dependent. Regimens of AVA (20 and 40 mg/kg) proved effective against Blastocystis infections with high reduction in Blastocystis shedding (93.4-97.9%) compared to MTZ (79.3%). The highest reductions (98.1% and 99.4%) were recorded in groups of combination treatments AVA 20-40 mg/kg and MTZ 10 mg/kg. Blastocystis was nearly eradicated by the 20th day post infection. Genotype analysis revealed that genotype I was most susceptible, genotype III was less. Histopathologic and ultrastructural studies revealed apoptotic changes in Blastocystis and significant improvement of intestinal histopathological changes more remarkable in combinational therapy groups. Thus, the present study offers AVA as a potential candidate for Blastocystis therapy combined with MTZ.
['Basyoni|Maha M A|MMA|', 'Fouad|Shawky A|SA|', 'Amer|Marwa F|MF|', 'Amer|Ahmed Fathy|AF|', 'Ismail|Dalia Ibrahim|DI|']
D000818:Animals D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents D000069059:Atorvastatin D016844:Blastocystis D016776:Blastocystis Infections D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies D004195:Disease Models, Animal D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug D004339:Drug Compounding D004357:Drug Synergism D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination D005243:Feces D005838:Genotype D006801:Humans D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors D008795:Metronidazole D051379:Mice
atorvastatin metronidazole Blastocystis efficacy mouse