Inflammation in Schistosomiasis: A new treatment

Schistosomiasis is caused by Schistosoma mansoni, an intravascular trematode. The only treatment is Praziquantel (PZQ). New antischistosomal compounds are fundamental for disease control. In schistosomiasis murine model, the plant, Mentha piperita L. and its compounds – menthol and menthone (MM) – in association with acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) is demonstrated in the regulation of inflammation in liver and controled fibrosis caused by schistosomiasis granulomas. Six different groups of mice were infected with 80 cercariae (groups: infected and untreated, infected and MM treatment; infected and treatment MM with ASA, all treated during 14 daily after 35 days pos infection; and infected treated with Praziquantel (single dose). Parasitological, cytological and histological analyses were performed. The number of eosinophils in the peritoneal cavity lavage (LPC) significantly reduced in all treated groups. Groups treated with 30 mg/kg of MM presented a 62.80% reduction and groups treated with 50 mg/kg of MM + ASA presented a 64.21% in the number of eggs. In the liver´s histological analysis we observed that all MM treated groups expressed a unique cytological profile, with diffused cells around the granuloma. In the experimental group treated with 50 mg/kg of MM + ASA, it was possible to observe the formation of type III collagen fibers, a typical wound healing characteristic. Our data strongly suggests that both the hepatic fibrosis and the inflammatory process were regulated through the schistosomiasis granulomatous process after treatment with MM with ASA.