ANTIPARASITIC AND IMMUNOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF SPIRULINA OR PROBIOTICS LOADED ON METAL ORGANIC FRAMEWORK (MOFS) NANO PARTICLES IN MICE INFECTED WITH CRYPTOSPORIDIUM

Abstract

One of the zoonotic health problem affecting is cryptosporidiosis. There is currently no approved treatment for cryptosporidiosis, apart from nitazoxanide (NTZ). This study evaluated the anti-protozoan and immune-modulating properties role of spirulina and probiotics, either alone or loaded on Cu-MOF, against Cryptosporidium in immunocompromised mice compared to NTZ. Seventy-eight male laboratory-bred pathogen-free, Swiss-albino mice were divided into seven groups each of 12 mice except negative control one with six mice as follows: GI: infected-untreated (positive control), GII: infected and Spirulina treated, GIII: infected and probiotics treated, GIV: infected and NTZ treated, GV: infected and Spirulina loaded on CuBTC MOF treated, GVI: infected and probiotics loaded on Cu-BTC MOF treated, GVII: neither infected nor treated (negative control). Drug efficacy was parasitological, biochemical and histopathological evaluated. The results showed that all drugs significantly reduced oocysts' count and intestinal parasite burden as well as improved pathological squeals compared to corresponding infected mice. There was a decrease in amyloid and neopterin sera levels in treated mice compared to infected ones. NTZ gave the best treated results, followed by Spirulina nano formulation.