Potential of <i>Aframomum melegueta</i> and <i>Xylopia aethiopica</i> Against <i>Taenia</i> spp.: Plant-Based Remedies as Novel Anthelmintics

<b>Background/Objectives:</b> Taeniasis, a zoonotic infection, is a common foodborne disease. Niclosamide and praziquantel have proven to be effective in treating it, but the use of the same drugs can lead to resistance, so alternative drugs need to be explored. This study investigated t...

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Main Authors: Fekandine V. Douti, Gnatoulma Katawa, Kathrin Arndts, Fagdéba D. Bara, Essimanam R. Awesso, Simplice D. Karou, Achim Hoerauf, Manuel Ritter
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Pharmaceuticals
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/18/5/749
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author Fekandine V. Douti
Gnatoulma Katawa
Kathrin Arndts
Fagdéba D. Bara
Essimanam R. Awesso
Simplice D. Karou
Achim Hoerauf
Manuel Ritter
author_facet Fekandine V. Douti
Gnatoulma Katawa
Kathrin Arndts
Fagdéba D. Bara
Essimanam R. Awesso
Simplice D. Karou
Achim Hoerauf
Manuel Ritter
author_sort Fekandine V. Douti
collection DOAJ
description <b>Background/Objectives:</b> Taeniasis, a zoonotic infection, is a common foodborne disease. Niclosamide and praziquantel have proven to be effective in treating it, but the use of the same drugs can lead to resistance, so alternative drugs need to be explored. This study investigated the anthelmintic potential of derived fractions from hydroethanolic extracts (HEs) of <i>Aframomum melegueta</i> (AM) and <i>Xylopia aethiopica</i> (XA), two medicinal plants known for their diverse bioactive properties. <b>Methods:</b> AM-HE fractions (dichloromethane fraction (DCMF), ether fraction (EF), aqueous fraction (AF)) and XA-HE fractions (chloroform fraction (CF), ether fraction (EF), and aqueous fraction (AF)) were used, and in vitro anthelmintic activity was assessed against <i>Taenia</i> spp. by using an adult motility assay for the worm’s paralysis time determination. The parasiticidal and parasitostatic activity was also tested on <i>Taenia</i> spp. adult worms. Cell viability was further evaluated using propidium iodide (PI) staining, with albendazole (20 mg/mL) as the reference drug. <b>Results:</b> The three fractions of each plant exhibited significant, dose-dependent anthelmintic activity, with AM-HE and XA-CF showing the greatest effects at 20 mg/mL. AM-EF demonstrated significant activity at 0.4% and 0.8%. Irreversibility tests revealed that most of the treated worms remained paralysis, except those exposed to the AF of both plants. PI staining confirmed the dose-dependent mortality of <i>Taenia</i> cells treated with HE, DCMF, and AF of AM. <b>Conclusions:</b> These results underscore the potential of AM and XA extracts and fractions as alternative treatments for helminth infections. Further, in vivo studies are warranted to confirm their safety and therapeutic efficacy.
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spelling doaj-art-5b9dacd7faaa4a1fa57f4c7476d9bde02025-08-20T03:47:58ZengMDPI AGPharmaceuticals1424-82472025-05-0118574910.3390/ph18050749Potential of <i>Aframomum melegueta</i> and <i>Xylopia aethiopica</i> Against <i>Taenia</i> spp.: Plant-Based Remedies as Novel AnthelminticsFekandine V. Douti0Gnatoulma Katawa1Kathrin Arndts2Fagdéba D. Bara3Essimanam R. Awesso4Simplice D. Karou5Achim Hoerauf6Manuel Ritter7Unité de Recherche en Immunologie et Immuno-Modulation (UR2IM), Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Contrôle de Qualité des Denrées Alimentaires, École Supérieure des Techniques Biologiques et Alimentaires (ESTBA), Université de Lomé, Lomé 01 BP 1515, TogoUnité de Recherche en Immunologie et Immuno-Modulation (UR2IM), Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Contrôle de Qualité des Denrées Alimentaires, École Supérieure des Techniques Biologiques et Alimentaires (ESTBA), Université de Lomé, Lomé 01 BP 1515, TogoInstitute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), University Hospital Bonn (UKB), 53127 Bonn, GermanyUnité de Recherche en Immunologie et Immuno-Modulation (UR2IM), Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Contrôle de Qualité des Denrées Alimentaires, École Supérieure des Techniques Biologiques et Alimentaires (ESTBA), Université de Lomé, Lomé 01 BP 1515, TogoUnité de Recherche en Immunologie et Immuno-Modulation (UR2IM), Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Contrôle de Qualité des Denrées Alimentaires, École Supérieure des Techniques Biologiques et Alimentaires (ESTBA), Université de Lomé, Lomé 01 BP 1515, TogoUnité de Recherche en Immunologie et Immuno-Modulation (UR2IM), Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Contrôle de Qualité des Denrées Alimentaires, École Supérieure des Techniques Biologiques et Alimentaires (ESTBA), Université de Lomé, Lomé 01 BP 1515, TogoInstitute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), University Hospital Bonn (UKB), 53127 Bonn, GermanyInstitute for Medical Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology (IMMIP), University Hospital Bonn (UKB), 53127 Bonn, Germany<b>Background/Objectives:</b> Taeniasis, a zoonotic infection, is a common foodborne disease. Niclosamide and praziquantel have proven to be effective in treating it, but the use of the same drugs can lead to resistance, so alternative drugs need to be explored. This study investigated the anthelmintic potential of derived fractions from hydroethanolic extracts (HEs) of <i>Aframomum melegueta</i> (AM) and <i>Xylopia aethiopica</i> (XA), two medicinal plants known for their diverse bioactive properties. <b>Methods:</b> AM-HE fractions (dichloromethane fraction (DCMF), ether fraction (EF), aqueous fraction (AF)) and XA-HE fractions (chloroform fraction (CF), ether fraction (EF), and aqueous fraction (AF)) were used, and in vitro anthelmintic activity was assessed against <i>Taenia</i> spp. by using an adult motility assay for the worm’s paralysis time determination. The parasiticidal and parasitostatic activity was also tested on <i>Taenia</i> spp. adult worms. Cell viability was further evaluated using propidium iodide (PI) staining, with albendazole (20 mg/mL) as the reference drug. <b>Results:</b> The three fractions of each plant exhibited significant, dose-dependent anthelmintic activity, with AM-HE and XA-CF showing the greatest effects at 20 mg/mL. AM-EF demonstrated significant activity at 0.4% and 0.8%. Irreversibility tests revealed that most of the treated worms remained paralysis, except those exposed to the AF of both plants. PI staining confirmed the dose-dependent mortality of <i>Taenia</i> cells treated with HE, DCMF, and AF of AM. <b>Conclusions:</b> These results underscore the potential of AM and XA extracts and fractions as alternative treatments for helminth infections. Further, in vivo studies are warranted to confirm their safety and therapeutic efficacy.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/18/5/749<i>Aframomum melegueta</i><i>Xylopia aethiopica</i>fractionsanthelminthic<i>Taenia</i> spp.
spellingShingle Fekandine V. Douti
Gnatoulma Katawa
Kathrin Arndts
Fagdéba D. Bara
Essimanam R. Awesso
Simplice D. Karou
Achim Hoerauf
Manuel Ritter
Potential of <i>Aframomum melegueta</i> and <i>Xylopia aethiopica</i> Against <i>Taenia</i> spp.: Plant-Based Remedies as Novel Anthelmintics
Pharmaceuticals
<i>Aframomum melegueta</i>
<i>Xylopia aethiopica</i>
fractions
anthelminthic
<i>Taenia</i> spp.
title Potential of <i>Aframomum melegueta</i> and <i>Xylopia aethiopica</i> Against <i>Taenia</i> spp.: Plant-Based Remedies as Novel Anthelmintics
title_full Potential of <i>Aframomum melegueta</i> and <i>Xylopia aethiopica</i> Against <i>Taenia</i> spp.: Plant-Based Remedies as Novel Anthelmintics
title_fullStr Potential of <i>Aframomum melegueta</i> and <i>Xylopia aethiopica</i> Against <i>Taenia</i> spp.: Plant-Based Remedies as Novel Anthelmintics
title_full_unstemmed Potential of <i>Aframomum melegueta</i> and <i>Xylopia aethiopica</i> Against <i>Taenia</i> spp.: Plant-Based Remedies as Novel Anthelmintics
title_short Potential of <i>Aframomum melegueta</i> and <i>Xylopia aethiopica</i> Against <i>Taenia</i> spp.: Plant-Based Remedies as Novel Anthelmintics
title_sort potential of i aframomum melegueta i and i xylopia aethiopica i against i taenia i spp plant based remedies as novel anthelmintics
topic <i>Aframomum melegueta</i>
<i>Xylopia aethiopica</i>
fractions
anthelminthic
<i>Taenia</i> spp.
url https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/18/5/749
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