Investigating therapeutic efficacy of silymarin on intestinal and muscular phases of trichinellosis: an experimental study.

Trichinellosis, one of the parasitic zoonoses, is treated with a benzimidazole derivative, primarily albendazole. However, this treatment has a lot of side effects and is not sufficiently effective in killing the encysted larvae. Silymarin, a polyphenolic flavonoid, has been proven to have anti-parasitic activities and various medical uses. The current study aimed to evaluate silymarin efficacy against intestinal and muscular phases of murine trichinellosis compared to the standard drug; albendazole. Forty-eight mice were divided into four discrete groups: healthy model; diseased model; silymarin treatment; and albendazole treatment. The assessment of therapy efficacy was conducted parasitologically through counting the adult worms and muscle larvae, histopathologically through examination of the intestinal and muscular tissues, and, immunohistochemically through muscular expression of the vascular endothelial growth factor. Both silymarin and albendazole-treated groups demonstrated a statistically significant decrease (P < 0.001) in the mean count of adult Trichinella and the encysted larvae when compared to the diseased model, with an improvement of intestinal and muscular inflammation, and degeneration of the encysted larvae in muscles. Also, vascular endothelial growth factor immunoreactivity was significantly reduced in both silymarin, and albendazole-treated groups compared to the diseased model. Silymarin recorded antiparasitic, anti-inflammatory, and antiangiogenic effects on experimental trichinellosis.