Efficacy of Paromomycin-Conjugated Nano Chitosan in Treating Entamoeba histolytica Infection in Mice

Abstract

Entamoeba histolytica is an intestinal parasite that causes amebiasis, a disease widespread in developing countries. This parasite primarily attacks the colon, producing ulceration of the colon's intestinal epithelial cells; nevertheless, the infection can spread to the liver, resulting in liver abscesses. The present study aimed to investigate treatment solutions for amebiasis. The chitosan nanoparticles were synthesized using the Ultrasonic method, and the antibiotic paromomycin was conjugated with the nanoparticles. seventy Swiss albino male mice infected with E. histolytica were treated with antibiotic-loaded nanoparticles, and the response to treatment was evaluated using liver enzymes (Alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Alanine transaminase (ALT), and Aspartate transaminase (AST). The study's findings revealed that The AST, ALT, and ALP activities increased significantly in the infected untreated group as they were 102.84±8.89, 104.06 ±7.50, and 533.41±21.18 (U/L) for AST, ALT, and ALP respectively; as for the groups that were infected and treated, they showed an improvement and a significant decrease in the concentration of liver enzymes for all treatments. The treatment of infected mice with 75% nano chitosan + 25% paromomycin showed the best therapeutic effect concerning AST and ALP as it minimized the levels of these enzymes as (62.12± 9.46) and (439.4527.43) (U/L) respectively, while for ALT enzyme, the highest significant therapeutic effect was observed in the group that treated with Nano-chitosan only (63.46±8.06) (U/L). The present study represented the efficiency of the prepared nanomaterial in conjugating with the antibiotic in treating mice infected with the parasite, as this was observed through a decrease in the concentrations of the three liver enzymes.