Therapeutic effect of chitosan nanoparticles loaded with punica granatum peels extract in cryptosporidium experimentally infected mice / Reem Ahmed Mohamed Elsheikh ; Supervised Olfat Mohamed Mahmoud Elmatarawy , Amal Mohamed Elshennawy , Reham Kamal Mohamed Nahnoush

Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Parasitology

Cryptosporidiumis a protozoan parasite that affects the gastrointestinal epithelium and other mucosal surfaces of their hosts, which include humans and domestic and wild animals worldwide. The current treatment for cryptosporidiosis is nitazoxanide. It is ineffective in immunosuppressed patients and there is an urgent need to search for alternatives.The present study was designed to assess the therapeutic effect of chitosan nanoparticles loaded with Punicagranatum peels extract in treatment of cryptosporidiosis using parasitological and histopathological parameters to assess the effect of used drugs.The results of this study revealed that groups treated with chitosan nanoparticles loaded with Punicagranatum peels extract and combination of chitosan nanoparticles loaded with Punicagranatum peels extract and nitazoxanide at half dosehadthe highest mean percentage reductionin number of Cryptosporidiumoocystsamong other infected treated groups while, the nitazoxanide infected treated group had the least percentage reduction among other treated groups.These results were also, proved by and coincided with the results of the histopathologicalexamination.Accordingly, combination of chitosan nanoparticles loaded with Punicagranatum peels extract and nitazoxanide represent an excellent anti-diarrheal treatment in immunocompromised mice and it is recommended to start clinical trials using it in the treatment of Cryptosporidium infected patients

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