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Therapeutic impact of Citrus paradisi peel extract on muscular trichinellosis: an in vivo study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2025

B. Ibrahim ,
E.S. El-Wakil Open the ORCID record for E.S. El-Wakil [Opens in a new window] ,
M. Esmat ,
A. Elghareeb ,
M. Ghareeb ,
M. Assem  and
N. Kamel
B. Ibrahim
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, https://ror.org/05debfq75 Misr University for Science and Technology , 6th October City 12566, Egypt
E.S. El-Wakil*
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology, https://ror.org/04d4dr544 Theodor Bilharz Research Institute Kornaish El Nile , Warrak El-Hadar, Imbaba (P.O. 30), Giza 12411, Egypt
M. Esmat
Affiliation:
Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, https://ror.org/05debfq75 Misr University for Science and Technology , 6th October City 12566, Egypt
A. Elghareeb
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, https://ror.org/05y06tg49 October 6 University , Giza, Egypt Department of Parasitology, Benha Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Egypt
M. Ghareeb
Affiliation:
Medicinal Chemistry Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute Kornaish El Nile, Warrak El-Hadar, Imbaba (P.O. 30), Giza 12411, Egypt
M. Assem
Affiliation:
Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, https://ror.org/03q21mh05 Cairo University , Giza, Egypt
N. Kamel
Affiliation:
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, https://ror.org/05y06tg49 October 6 University , Giza, Egypt
*
Corresponding author: E.S. El-Wakil; Emails: e.el-wakil@tbri.gov.eg; drfaith@ymail.com
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Abstract

Trichinellosis is a parasitic zoonosis caused by a nematode parasite of the Trichinella (T.) genus. It poses significant public health issues due to limited effective and safe treatment options, especially for the muscle-encysted larval stage. Citrus paradisi (C. paradisi), with its high content of flavonoids and polyphenols, has been recorded to possess anti-parasitic properties and numerous therapeutic applications. The present work aimed to assess the efficacy of C. paradisi extract peel extract as a therapeutic agent, either alone or combined with albendazole (ABZ), against T. spiralis in experimentally infected mice. Sixty-six lab-bred Swiss albino mice were divided into control and treatment groups, then received either ABZ, C. paradisi extract, or a combination of both during the enteral, migratory, and encapsulation phases of infection. Parasitological, histopathological, and immunohistochemical examinations were performed to evaluate the efficacy of the treatments. All treated groups displayed a highly significant difference (p < 0.001) in larval counts compared to the positive control group, with the combination therapy group having the highest efficacy and the lowest mean count value during different treatment regimens. In addition, treated groups showed improved muscle integrity compared to the positive control group. Moreover, the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) showed the highest expression reduction in the combination therapy group. These findings highlight the potential of C. paradisi as a complementary therapy to albendazole for treating trichinellosis through muscle larva reduction and mitigation of inflammation.

Keywords

Trichinella spiralisCitrus paradisialbendazolemicegood health and well-being

Information

Type
Research Paper
Information
Journal of Helminthology , Volume 99 , 2025 , e67
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press

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