Estudo ultraestrutural das alterações morfológicas de vermes machos de Schistosoma mansoni após exposição in vitro à alicina

Abstract

Introduction: Garlic has a wide range of actions, including antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antiprotozoal and anthelmintic actions. Tis antiparasitic activity has been attributed to allicin, which is the main constituent of garlic. Te present study aimed to investigate the in vitro activity of allicin on the tegument of adult Schistosoma mansoni worms using scanning electron microscopy. Methods: Swiss Webster mice were infected with S. mansoni cercariae (100 per mouse) and sacrificed 50 days later to acquire the adult worms. These worms were collected by perfusion and placed in RPMI medium 1,640 at 37°C before transferring to RPMI media containing 0 (control), 5, 10, 15 and 20mg/mL of allicin, where they were incubated for 2h. Te worms were fxed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde solution, washed twice, post-fixed in osmium tetroxide, washed twice and then dehydrated with ascending grades of ethanol. Te samples were air-dried, mounted on stubs, gold coated in an ion sputering unit and viewed using a scanning electron microscope. Results: A concentration of 5mg/mL caused wrinkling in the tegument; a concentration of 10mg/ mL resulted in changes to tubercles and loss or modification of spines. With 15 and 20mg/mL increasing damage to the tegument could be seen, such as vesicle formation and the presence of ulcers. Conclusions: Tese findings demonstrate the effect of allicin on adult S. mansoni worms and indicate that most of the changes occur at concentrations greater than that normally indicated for treatment.