Background: Cryptosporidiosis causes retractable diarrhea with drastic dehydration, especially in
immunocompromised patients. Search for a novel therapeutic approach is urgently required.
Objective: To assess the potential effect of Zingiber Officinale (ginger) loaded on chitosan nanoparticles
(ginger CSNPs) versus Nanazoxid® (NTZ) in treatment of cryptosporidiosis.
Material and Methods: Seventy mice were immunosuppressed and divided into seven groups (10 mice
each), of which two groups were negative and positive control groups. Except for the negative control
group, cryptosporidiosis was experimentally induced, and different drug regimens (NTZ, ginger, CSNPs,
ginger CSNPs, and NTZ combined with ginger CSNPs) were given for seven consecutive days. Stool samples
were collected daily for oocysts count, followed by sacrifice of mice one week after drug administration.
Histopathological examination was conducted for small intestine, liver, and lung tissues.
Results: Treatment with ginger CSNPs recorded the highest significant reduction in oocysts shedding,
followed by treatment with NTZ/ginger CSNPs combined therapy. Histopathological examination of small
intestine showed the best amelioration results in mice treated with ginger CSNPs signified by remarkable
improvement in the form of intact intestinal mucosa, with complete healing of intestinal surface epithelium,
and with preserved brush border and absence of mucosal ulceration. Histopathologic effect in liver showed
various degrees of expansion of portal tracts with moderate inflammation among the treated groups. The
lung showed congestion with various degrees of emphysematous changes and inflammatory infiltration
among the treated groups.
Conclusion: Ginger CSNPs possessed anti-cryptosporidial activity, diminished the oocysts shedding, and
protected the intestinal epithelial from deleterious effects of cryptosporidiosis.