Trichinella spiralis can cause systemic inflammatory manifestations all over the body before
habituating their destination in the striated muscles. Its new borne larvae (NBL) most dangerous
phase go via bloodstream of different organs during migration.
This study explored the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects of Curcumin
(Cur) and Curcumin nanoparticles (Cur-Nano) on inflammatory and pathological changes occurred
in different organs in murine trichinellosis during larval migratory phase.
Forty (40) male Swiss albino mice were divided into four groups of ten mice each. GI: mice
infected and treated with Cur, GII: mice infected and treated with Cur-Nano, GIII: infected nontreated
mice (positive control) and GIV: non-infected non-treated (negative control). Mice were
infected orally with 200 T. spiralis larvae per mouse. GI & GII received treatment on 13th day
post infection (dpi) for 5 successive days. All mice were sacrificed on the 30th dpi. Effects of Cur
& Cur-Nano were evaluated by counting T. spiralis encysted larvae in muscle by light microscope.
Frozen sera (-20°C) were used for quantitative estimation of ALT, AST, TNFα, transforming
growth factor-β (TGF-β) and Troponin (Trop). Specimens of lung, liver, brain and heart
were fixed in neutral buffered formalin for H&E and immunohistochemical staining.
The results showed that number of encysted T. spiralis larvae in GI & GII was significantly
reduced compared to GIII. In both treated groups (GI & GII), there was a significant reduction in
mean levels of AST, ALT, TNFα, TGF-β, & Trop. There was significant improvement of bile
duct injury and proliferation, alveolar and pleural inflammation, and bronchial epithelial proliferation,
as well as improvement of degenerative changes in brain and heart. The infected nontreated
group (GIII) showed significant overexpression of Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2), caspase 3,
glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), arginase and granzyme b, with a significant low expression
of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) as compared to treated groups.