Free essential oils and nanostructured on Trichomonas gallinae trophozoites

Abstract

Avian trichomoniasis mainly affects the upper digestive tract of birds and it is caused by the flagellate protozoan, Trichomonas gallinae. The present study was developed to evaluate the in vitro effects of free essential oils (OEs) and nanostructured Ocimum basilicum and Eucalyptus globulus against trophozoites of T. gallinae. T. gallinae trophozoites were recovered by the swab method from naturally infected urban pigeons, followed by cultivation in TYM medium (trypticase-yeast-maltose extract). The in vitro assays were performed in 96-well plates containing essential oil (OE) and nanostructured on different concentrations in medium containing 1x106 parasites. Four controls were performed: NC (culture medium and trophozoites), MTZ (trophozoites plus 25 μg / ml metronidazole), TW (trophozoites plus vehicle for solubilization of derivatives (0,1% Tween) and NB (blank nanoemulsion 1%). To verify the viability of trophozoites, motility, morphology, and exclusion by trypan blue dye (0.4%) were observed. The analysis of the data obtained from the screening of the compounds showed that 1,5% EO of O. basilicum and 1,25 of nanoemulsion reduced the viability of trophozoites by 100%, relative to the negative control. OE E. globulus 1,5% and 2% nanoemulsion. The controls CN, TW and NB exhibited positive motility and negative staining with tripan blue, while control MTZ reduced the viability of the parasite by 100% after 24-hour exposure. The data obtained in this study indicate that OEs and nanoemulsions may contribute as effective agents in the control of T. gallinae infections.