METHODS: Forty-two inbred BALB/c mice were divided into seven groups of six animals each. Six groups were inoculated intra-peritoneally with 1500 viable E. granulosus protoscoleces, followed for six months and used as infected groups. The infected groups were named as: CEI1 to CEI6 accordingly. The 7th group was not inoculated and was named cystic echinococcosis noninfected group (CENI7). CEI1 and CEI2 groups received 40 mg/kg/day and 20 mg/kg/day curcumin nanoemulsion (CUR-NE), respectively. CEI3 received nanoemulsion without curcumin (NE-no CUR), CEI4 received curcumin suspension (CUR-S) 40 mg/kg/day, CEI5 received albendazole 150 mg/kg/day and CEI6 received sterile phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). CENI7 group received CUR-NE 40 mg/kg/day. Drugs administration was started after six months post-inoculations of protoscoleces and continued for 60 days in all groups. The secondary CE cyst area was evaluated by computed tomography (CT) scan for each mouse before treatment and on the days 30 and 60 post-treatment. The CT scan measurement results were compared before and after treatment. After the euthanasia of the mice on the 60th day, the cyst area was also measured after autopsy and, the histopathological changes of the secondary cysts for each group were observed. The therapeutic efficacy of CUR-NE in infected groups was evaluated by two methods: CT scan and autopsied cyst measurements.
RESULTS: Septal calcification in three groups of infected mice (CEI1, CEI2, and CEI4) was revealed by CT scan. The therapeutic efficacy of CUR-NE 40 mg/kg/day (CEI1 group) was 24.6 ± 26.89% by CT scan measurement and 55.16 ± 32.37% by autopsied cysts measurements. The extensive destructive effects of CUR-NE 40 mg/kg/day (CEI1 group) on the wall layers of secondary CE cysts were confirmed by histopathology.
CONCLUSIONS: The current study demonstrated a significant therapeutic effect of CUR-NE (40 mg/kg/day) on secondary CE cysts in BALB/c mice. An apparent septal calcification of several cysts revealed by CT scan and the destructive effect on CE cysts observed in histopathology are two critical key factors that suggest curcumin nanoemulsion could be a potential treatment for cystic echinococcosis.
方法:将42只近交BALB/c小鼠分成7组,每组6只。6组均腹膜内接种1500只活的细粒E.随访6个月,作为感染组。感染组相应地命名为:CEI1至CEI6。第7组未接种,命名为囊型包虫病非感染组(CENI7)。CEI1和CEI2组接受40mg/kg/天和20mg/kg/天姜黄素纳米乳(CUR-NE),分别。CEI3接受不含姜黄素的纳米乳液(NE-无CUR),CEI4接受姜黄素悬浮液(CUR-S)40mg/kg/天,CEI5接受阿苯达唑150mg/kg/天,CEI6接受无菌磷酸盐缓冲盐水(PBS)。CENI7组接受CUR-NE40mg/kg/天。在原头骨接种后六个月开始给药,并在所有组中持续60天。在治疗前和治疗后第30和60天,通过计算机断层扫描(CT)扫描评价每只小鼠的继发性CE囊肿面积。比较治疗前后CT扫描测量结果。在第60天小鼠安乐死后,尸检后还测量了囊肿面积,观察各组继发性囊肿的组织病理学变化。通过两种方法评估感染组中CUR-NE的治疗效果:CT扫描和尸检囊肿测量。
结果:CT扫描显示三组感染小鼠(CEI1,CEI2和CEI4)的间隔钙化。通过CT扫描测量,CUR-NE40mg/kg/天(CEI1组)的疗效为24.6±26.89%,通过尸检囊肿测量为55.16±32.37%。组织病理学证实了CUR-NE40mg/kg/天(CEI1组)对继发性CE囊肿壁层的广泛破坏作用。
结论:目前的研究表明,CUR-NE(40mg/kg/天)对BALB/c小鼠继发性CE囊肿具有显着的治疗作用。CT扫描显示的几个囊肿的明显间隔钙化以及在组织病理学中观察到的对CE囊肿的破坏作用是两个关键的关键因素,表明姜黄素纳米乳可能是治疗囊性包虫病的潜在方法。