%0 Journal Article
%T Anti-inflammatory/anti-fibrotic effects of the hepatoprotective silymarin and the schistosomicide praziquantel against Schistosoma mansoni-induced liver fibrosis
%A Naglaa M El-Lakkany
%A Olfat A Hammam
%A Walaa H El-Maadawy
%A Afkar A Badawy
%A Afaf A Ain-Shoka
%A Fatma A Ebeid
%J Parasites & Vectors
%D 2012
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1756-3305-5-9
%X Schistosoma mansoni-infected mice were divided into two large groups (I & II), each with four subgroups and were run in parallel. (i) Infected untreated; (ii) treated with silymarin, starting from the 4th (3 weeks before PZQ therapy) or 12th (5 weeks after PZQ therapy) weeks post infection (PI); (iii) treated with PZQ in the 7th week PI; and (iv) treated with silymarin, as group (ii) plus PZQ as group (iii). Comparable groups of uninfected mice run in parallel with the infected groups. Mice of groups I and II were killed 10 and 18 weeks PI, respectively. Hepatic content of hydroxyproline (HYP), serum levels and tissue expression of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2), transforming growth factor-¦Â1 (TGF-¦Â1) and number of mast cells were determined. In addition, parasitological, biochemical and histological parameters that reflect disease severity and morbidity were examined.Silymarin caused a partial decrease in worm burden; hepatic tissue egg load, with an increase in percentage of dead eggs; modulation of granuloma size, with significant reduction of hepatic HYP content; tissue expression of MMP-2, TGF-¦Â1; number of mast cells, with conservation of hepatic reduced glutathione (GSH). PZQ produced complete eradication of worms, eggs and alleviated liver inflammation and fibrosis. The best results were obtained, in most parameters studied, in groups of mice treated with silymarin in addition to PZQ.Our results point to silymarin as a promising anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic agent; it could be introduced as a therapeutic tool with PZQ in the treatment of schistosomal liver fibrosis, but further studies on mechanisms of silymarin and PZQ in chronic liver diseases may shed light on developing therapeutic methods in clinical practice.Schistosomiasis caused by S. mansoni continues to be an important cause of parasitic morbidity and mortality worldwide and is the most common fibrotic disease to arise due to inflammation and the deposition of scar tissue around parasite
%K Schistosoma mansoni
%K silymarin
%K praziquantel
%K liver fibrosis
%K hydroxyproline
%K transforming growth factor-¦Â1
%K matrix metalloproteinase-2
%K mast cells
%U http://www.parasitesandvectors.com/content/5/1/9