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Peganum harmala Extract Has Antiamoebic Activity to Acanthamoeba triangularis Trophozoites and Changes Expression of Autophagy-Related Genes

Boonhok R 1 , Sangkanu S 2 , Chuprom J 2 , Srisuphanunt M 1 , Norouzi R 3 , Siyadatpanah A 4 Show all authors , Mirzaei F 5 , Mitsuwan W 6 , Wisessombat S 1 , de Lourdes Pereira M 7 , Rahmatullah M 8 , Wilairatana P 9 , Wiart C 10 , Ling LC 11 , Dolma KG 12 , Nissapatorn V 1

Affiliations 

  • 1 Department of Medical Technology, School of Allied Health Sciences, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand
  • 2 Research Excellence Center for Innovation and Health Products (RECIHP), School of Allied Health Sciences, Southeast Asia Water Team (SEA Water Team) and World Union for Herbal Drug Discovery (WUHeDD), Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand
  • 3 Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, Tabriz 5166616471, Iran
  • 4 Ferdows School of Paramedical and Health, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand 9717853577, Iran
  • 5 Department Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd 14188-15971, Iran
  • 6 Akkhraratchakumari Veterinary College and Research Center of Excellence in Innovation of Essential Oil, Walailak University, Nakhon Si Thammarat 80160, Thailand
  • 7 CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials and Department of Medical Sciences, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
  • 8 Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, University of Development Alternative, Lalmatia, Dhaka 1209, Bangladesh
  • 9 Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
  • 10 School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Selangor 43500, Malaysia
  • 11 Division of Applied Biomedical Science and Biotechnology, School of Health Sciences, International Medical University, Kuala Lumpur 57000, Malaysia
  • 12 Department of Microbiology, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Medical Sciences (SMIMS), Sikkim 737102, India
Pathogens, 2021 Jul 04;10(7).
PMID: 34357992 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10070842

Abstract

Peganum harmala, a well-known medicinal plant, has been used for several therapeutic purposes as it contains numerous pharmacological active compounds. Our study reported an anti-parasitic activity of P. harmala seed extract against Acanthamoeba triangularis. The stress induced by the extract on the surviving trophozoites for Acanthamoeba encystation and vacuolization was examined by microscopy, and transcriptional expression of Acanthamoeba autophagy-related genes was investigated by quantitative PCR. Our results showed that the surviving trophozoites were not transformed into cysts, and the number of trophozoites with enlarged vacuoles were not significantly different from that of untreated control. Molecular analysis data demonstrated that the mRNA expression of tested AcATG genes, i.e., ATG3, ATG8b, and ATG16, was at a basal level along the treatment. However, upregulation of AcATG16 at 24 h post treatment was observed, which may indicate an autophagic activity of this protein in response to the stress. Altogether, these data revealed the anti-Acanthamoeba activity of P. harmala extract and indicated the association of autophagy mRNA expression and cyst formation under the extract stress, representing a promising plant for future drug development. However, further identification of an active compound and a study of autophagy at the protein level are needed.

* Title and MeSH Headings from MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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