Anti-helminthic effect of Punica granatum peel extract on Trichinella spiralis worms and muscle larvae: in vitro and in vivo studies

Trichinella spiralis (T. spiralis) is a prevalent foodborne intestinal parasite in many developing countries. Albendazole (ABZ) is the drug of choice for treating trichinosis despite its several drawbacks as its week effect against encapsulated larvae, low bioavailability, and emerging drug resistance. As a result, new anthelmintic agents are required. This study aims to investigate the in vivo and in vitro effects of Punica granatum peels extract (PGPE) on intestinal and muscle phases of T. spiralis. The adult worms and larvae were isolated and cultured with different concentrations of PGPE ranging from 6.75 to 100 µg/ml and measuring the survival rate was done after 1, 3, 18, 24 and 48 h of incubation, followed by scanning electron microscopic (SEM) examination of isolated parasites. For the in vivo experiment, the infected animals were divided into two main groups: intestinal phase group and muscular phase group, each group was subdivided into; infected not treated, infected treated with PGPE, ABZ and combined PGPE and ABZ (6 mice in each). The drug effect was assessed by adults and larvae load. A significant increase in the percentage of dead adult parasite and muscle larvae cultured with PGPE with severe destruction and deformity of the tegument were observed with SEM. Also, a significant reduction of adult parasite number in the intestine and muscle larva number in the diaphragm of infected treated mice in comparison to the control group. This study proved that PGPE has a potential activity against trichinosis, particularly when combined with ABZ, and this could serve as a new agent in trichinosis therapy.