Background and Aim: Giardia lamblia, Giardiasis causative protozoa, is one of the most common etiologic agents of diarrhea throughout the world especially in Iran. Asafoetida, an oleo-gum-resin (called Anjodan in Farsi) obtained from an Iranian endemic herb, Ferula Assa-foetida has been used in treating of different diseases, particularly parasitic ones. The aim of this study was in-vitro evaluating of the effect of Asafoetida aqueous and alcoholic extracts on Giardia lamblia cysts. Materials and Methods: 500 µl of each of 1.25, 2.5, 5 and 20 mg/ml concentrtions of asafoetida aqueous and ethanol extracts was added to 500 µl of purified Giardia cysts,respectively. The mixtures were kept at 4, 24 and 37°C. The Giardicidal activity of the extracts was measured 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 hour (s) after exposure through 0.1% eosin dye staining and microscopic enumeration method. The gathered data was analyzed by means of one- way variance, Pearson's correlation coefficient and Independent T-test. Results: The highest Giardicidal effect of Asafoetida ethanol extract was 100% at 37°C, belonging to 20 mg/ml and in the 4th hour after experiment, while the maximum Giardicidal effect of Asafoetida aqueous extract was 57.23% at the same temperature and with the same concentration, in the 5th hour. There was a significant difference between Giardicidal effect of ethanol and water extracts with all concentrations and at different whiles and temperatures (P<0.005). Giardicidal effect of both extracts significantly increased due to rising the concentration, time and temperature (P<0.0001). Conclusion: Ethanol and aqueous extracts of asafetida have in-vitro Giardicidal effect on Giardia lamblia cysts. Ethanol extract has more Giardicidal effect.
Rights and permissions | |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |