Experimental infection of Sarcocystis moulei in mice and treated by using the alkaloid extract of Ruppia sp. in Basrah governorate southern of Iraq

Abstract

Sarcocystosis is caused by different Sarcocystis species. It’s a protozoal infection with worldwide distribution in many species of animals. The current study aimed to transfer infection of S.moulei into the mice as well as morphological diagnosis to confirm this aquatic plant and treat the mice experimentally infected by S.moulei. The plants of the family Ruppiaceae are monocotyledons, containing only one genus, which has many species in the world., Plant samples of Ruppia sp. were isolated from one of the salt marshes(swamps) in a province in the area of five miles and were carried out for phenotypic and then molecular diagnosis for confirmation. The whole plant is approximately 30 cm (40-65) cm in length and less than 1 mm (0.9 mm) in stem diameter. The plant is monocious, and the flowers are bisexual and sessile in groups at the base of the leaves; the peduncles are more than 5 cm long and reach 22–23 cm in length, flexuous but not spirally coiled, and bearing 5–11 obliquely ovoid (2-2.5) mm in length. The leaves are distributed alternately across the stem. Experimental transfer of the infection was carried out to laboratory mice, and three concentrations were used to treat the infection (0.106, 0.156, and 0.206) g/kg of extract alkaloid of Ruppia sp., showing the two concentrations (0.156 and 0.206 g/kg) complete efficacy and complete recovery compared to the other groups and other concentrations, as well as the group (infected and treated with albendazole 0.250 g/kg).