The effect of piperine and curcumin on the calmodulin gene of Echinococcus granulosus protoscolices in vitro

Abstract

Cystic echinococcosis (CE) has been defined as an illness that results from the larval Echinococcus granulosus stage. Treating cystic echinococcosis is fundamentally dependent upon using Albendazole that may typically result in negative side effects, which is why, more sufficient options of treatment being necessary. The re-purposing of the drugs has been considered as a beneficial method to advance the drug development. In vitro proto-scolicidal effect of the piperine and curcumin have been assessed in E. granulosus and expression of calmodulin (CaM) genes, both of them were linked to the cellular signaling activities. Based on the results, curcumin and piperine’s have dose-dependent proto-scolicidal effects to achieve the optimal efficacy that the isolated piperine 20mg/k and 2g/k curcumin showed significant anthelminthic activity compared to the standard anthelminthic drug enhancing the bioavailability of curcumin. Calmodulin, as a dynamic Ca 2+ sensor, mediates various activities of the cellular signaling from E. granulosus will be possibly involved in a significant biological function.