Ethanolic extract of the fungus Trichoderma stromaticum decreases inflammation and ameliorates experimental cerebral malaria in C57BL/6 mice

Sci Rep. 2018 Jan 24;8(1):1547. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-19840-x.

Abstract

Increased resistance to the first-line treatment against P. falciparum malaria, artemisinin-based combination therapies, has been reported. Here, we tested the effect of crude ethanolic extract of the fungus Trichoderma stromaticum (Ext-Ts) on the growth of P. falciparum NF54 in infected human red blood cells (ihRBCs) and its anti-malarial and anti-inflammatory properties in a mouse model of experimental cerebral malaria. For this purpose, ihRBCs were treated with Ext-Ts and analysed for parasitaemia; C57BL/6 mice were infected with P. berghei ANKA (PbA), treated daily with Ext-Ts, and clinical, biochemical, histological and immunological features of the disease were monitored. It was observed that Ext-Ts presented a dose-dependent ability to control P. falciparum in ihRBCs. In addition, it was demonstrated that Ext-Ts treatment of PbA-infected mice was able to increase survival, prevent neurological signs and decrease parasitaemia at the beginning of infection. These effects were associated with systemically decreased levels of lipids and IFN-γ, ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and CCR5 cerebral expression, preserving blood brain barrier integrity and attenuating the inflammatory lesions in the brain, liver and lungs. These results suggest that Ext-Ts could be a source of immunomodulatory and antimalarial compounds that could improve the treatment of cerebral malaria.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / administration & dosage
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / isolation & purification
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antimalarials / administration & dosage
  • Antimalarials / isolation & purification
  • Antimalarials / pharmacology*
  • Brain / parasitology
  • Brain / pathology
  • Complex Mixtures / administration & dosage
  • Complex Mixtures / isolation & purification
  • Complex Mixtures / pharmacology*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Erythrocytes / parasitology
  • Histocytochemistry
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Malaria, Cerebral / drug therapy*
  • Malaria, Cerebral / parasitology
  • Malaria, Cerebral / pathology
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Parasitemia / drug therapy
  • Plasmodium falciparum / drug effects
  • Survival Analysis
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Trichoderma / chemistry*

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Antimalarials
  • Complex Mixtures