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. 2018 Jul 30:2018:7453787.
doi: 10.1155/2018/7453787. eCollection 2018.

In Vitro Study of Antiamoebic Activity of Methanol Extracts of Argemone mexicana on Trophozoites of Entamoeba histolytica HM1-IMSS

Joel H Elizondo-Luévano  1 , Rocío Castro-Ríos  2 , Eduardo Sánchez-García  1 , Magda E Hernández-García  3 , Javier Vargas-Villarreal  3 , Osvelia E Rodríguez-Luis  1 , Abelardo Chávez-Montes  1
Affiliations

In Vitro Study of Antiamoebic Activity of Methanol Extracts of Argemone mexicana on Trophozoites of Entamoeba histolytica HM1-IMSS

Joel H Elizondo-Luévano et al. Can J Infect Dis Med Microbiol. .

Abstract

Infections caused by parasites in humans represent one of the main public health concerns. Amoebiasis, a parasitic infection caused by Entamoeba histolytica (E. histolytica), is considered endemic in Mexico, where Argemone mexicana (A. mexicana) has been used in traditional medicine to treat intestinal parasitic diseases. The objective of this work was to evaluate the potential biological activity of A. mexicana on E. histolytica. For this purpose, a methanolic extract was prepared from A. mexicana leaves, and a differential fractionation was carried out with solvents of different polarities. The inhibitory capacities of the extract and its fractions were evaluated in vitro using HM1-IMSS, a strain of Entamoeba histolytica. A. mexicana extract was found to have a growth-inhibiting activity for E. histolytica, showing IC50 = 78.39 μg/mL. The extract was characterized phytochemically, and the methanolic extract fractions were analyzed by liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometry (MS). Berberine and jatrorrhizine were present in the active fractions, and these compounds may be responsible for the antiparasitic activity. The identification of amoebicidal activity of A. mexicana on E. histolytica gives support to the traditional use. Further studies with berberine and jatrorrhizine will be carried out to understand the mechanism involved.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Evaluation of the viability of trophozoites of E. histolytica. Control: medium TYI-S33 inoculum of E. histolytica. Ctrl−: negative control (DMSO 5% inoculum of E. histolytica). Ctrl+: positive control (metronidazole 1 μg/mL). The error bars represent the standard deviation of measurements in triplicate and repeated three times (n=9).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Probit graph of the activity of the methanol extract of A. mexicana against E histolytica HM1-IMSS. The IC50 of the methanol extract of A. mexicana on E. histolytica in their trophozoite form is shown and was performed in triplicate. IC50 for the methanol extract of A. mexicana on E. histolytica in their trophozoite form was 78.39 ± 0.48 μg/mL.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Chromatograms and mass spectra obtained for fraction D. LC-MS/MS fragmentogram and MS/MS spectra obtained for (a) berberine (m/z 336) and (b) jatrorrhizine (m/z 338) in fraction D.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Comparison of (a) 1H-NMR and (b) 13C-NMR spectra of berberine, fraction D, and raw methanolic extract.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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