| Abstrakt: |
AbstractLymphatic filariasis (LF) is a vector borne disease caused by parasitic worms such as Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayiand B. timori, which are transmitted by mosquitoes. Current therapeutics to treat LF are mainly microfilarcidal, and lack activity against adult worms. This set back, poses a challenge for the control and elimination of filariasis. Thus, in this study the activities of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) against the filarial worm B. pahangiand its bacterial endosymbiont, Wolbachiawere evaluated. Different concentrations (2, 5, 10, 15, 20 μg/ml) of CAPE were used to assess its effects on motility, viability and microfilarial (mf) production of B. pahangi in vitro. Anti-Wolbachialactivity of CAPE was measured in worms by quantification of Wolbachial wspgene copy number using real-time polymerase chain reaction. Our findings show that CAPE was found to significantly reduce adult worm motility, viability, and mf release both in vitroand in vivo. 20 μg/ml of CAPE halts the release of mf in vitroby day 6 of post treatment. Also, the number of adult worms recovered in vivowere reduced significantly during and after treatment with 50 mg/kg of CAPE relative to control drugs, diethylcarbamazine and doxycycline. Real time PCR based on the Wolbachia ftsZ gene revealed a significant reduction in Wolbachiacopy number upon treatment. Anti-Wolbachiaand antifilarial properties of CAPE require further investigation as an alternative strategy to treat LF. |
