Impact of Moringa Olifera Organometallic Nanoparticles in Treatment of Murine Trichinellosis

Background: Trichinellosis, caused by Trichinella spiralis, is a significant foodborne zoonosis. While Mebendazole remains the standard treatment, its side effects and emerging resistance highlight the need for alternatives. Moringa oleifera has recently emerged as a promising, safer therapeutic option. Aim of the work: This study evaluated the therapeutic efficacy of Moringa oleifera compared to Mebendazole in experimental murine trichinellosis.
Material and Methods: A total of 180 Swiss albino male mice were divided into two equal groups (intestinal and muscular group), each one subdivided into nine subgroups (n=10), including controls and different treatment regimens (Mebendazole, Moringa, Ca-IMZ, and their combinations). Efficacy was evaluated using parasitological, histopathological, and biochemical assessments. Results: All treated subgroups demonstrated significant reductions in Trichinella spiralis burdens during both the intestinal and muscular phases, albeit with variable degrees of efficacy. The combined Mebendazole@Ca-IMZ and Moringa @ Ca-IMZ demonstrated the highest efficacy (91.64% reduction in adult worms; 80.29% reduction in encysted larvae), whereas the lowest effects were recorded with single treatments, particularly Moringa alone in the intestinal phase (38.68%) and Ca-IMZ alone in the muscular phase (32.28%). Histopathological examination revealed marked improvements in dual therapies than monotherapies. Treatment with Mebendazole -loaded (intestinal phase) and carrier nano-formulations (muscular phase) resulted most pronounced reductions of liver enzymes, urea and creatinine. Nano-formulated therapies, particularly Mebendazole@ Ca-IMZ and its combination with Moringa@ Ca-IMZ provided the most effective restoration of redox balance.
Conclusion: Moringa oleifera exhibits promising a therapeutic potential against T. spiralis, particularly when delivered via nanoparticles or in combination with Mebendazole@ Ca-IMZ, achieving variable degrees of efficacy.