Effect of Algae Spirulina Extraction in treatment of intestinal tissues of mice infected with Cryptosporidium spp.

Abstract

Cryptosporidiosis caused by Cryptosporidium spp. It is a zoonotic disease that is the most prevalent, so the study was conducted to evaluate the anti-cryptosporidiosis efficacy of alcoholic and aqueous spirulina algae extracts in comparison with Azithromycin in the intestines of infected mice. Fecal samples were collected from patients at Al-Kout Hospital suffering from diarrhea in the period November 2021 to February 2022, and 124 microscopic samples of both sexes were examined using a modified Ziell-Nelson stain to detect eggs infected with the parasite. Isolation and flotation purification with shither sugar solution and preservation in potassium dichromate for the purpose of infection in mice. The Experimental study was on groups of 57 mice by dealing with oral parasite oral oocysts within 104 oocyst/ ml except for the negative group addressed by a fishery saline solution. To strict injury, the detailed mice has been examined with microscopic parasites using Ziehl-Nelson Stain, and molecular screening was performed using Multiplex PCR technology. After the mice were divided into five groups with the uninfected and untreated group kept as a healthy negative control. The first group which included 21 mice was treated after it was divided into three subgroups A, B, C for each secondary group 7 mice they were treated with alcoholic extract of Spirulina at different concentrations 50, 100, 150 mg/ml on the respectively, while the second group which included 21 mice on three groups A, B, and C was treated with aqueous extract of Spirulina at the previous concentrations for three consecutive days for each concentration. The third group was treated with azithromycin at a concentration of 500 ml, and the positive control group remained infected with the parasite and was not treated. After treatment a microscopic examination was performed by evaluating the excretion average of parasite oocysts using a hematocytometer slide. The results of histological examination showed that treatment with alcoholic and aqueous Spirulina algae extracts led to remarkable repair and regeneration with restructuring in all sections of the small intestine infected with Cryptosporidium spp. parasite to varying degrees according to the concentrations used. Whereas the groups treated with Spirulina algae extracts showed epithelial layers renewed with the formation of non-enlarged cells and less edema, in addition less infiltration of inflammatory cells was observed in the submucosal layer. There was a slight inflammation in the tissues of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum with a clear decrease in inflation and the degree of inflammation as well as less severe lesions in the intestinal tissues treated with alcoholic and aqueous extract of Spirulina algae in the highest concentrations with complete disappearance of parasite oocysts.