Flavonoids and Sesquiterpene Lactones fromArtemisia absinthiumandTanacetum partheniumagainstSchistosoma mansoniWorms

Abstract

Human schistosomiasis, caused by trematode worms of the genusSchistosoma, is one of the most significant neglected tropical diseases, affecting more than 200 million individuals worldwide and praziquantel is the only available drug to treat this disease.Artemisia absinthiumL. andTanacetum partheniumL. are species popularly used as anthelmintics. We investigated thein vitroschistosomicidal activity of crude extracts ofA. absinthium(AA) andT. parthenium(TP) and their isolated compounds. AA and TP, at 200 μg/mL, were active, causing 100% mortality of all adult worms. Chromatographic fractionation of AA leads to isolation of artemetin and hydroxypelenolide, while santin, apigenin, and parthenolide were isolated from TP. Artemetin, hydroxypelenolide, santin, and apigenin, at 100 μM, were inactive against adult worms. Parthenolide (12.5 to 100 μM) caused 100% mortality, tegumental alterations, and reduction of motor activity of all adult worms ofS. mansoni, without affecting mammalian cells. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed tegumental morphological alterations and changes on the numbers of tubercles ofS. mansoniworms. This report provides the first evidence for thein vitroactivity of parthenolide against adult worms ofS. mansoni, opening the route to further schistosomicidal studies with this compound.