Background: Cryptosporidiosis poses several health risks, particularly due to its potential severity and the populations it can affect. Comprehending these hazards is crucial for efficient prevention and treatment. This study was to investigate the efficiency of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC), nitazoxanide (NTZ) and nitazoxanide-cellulose nanocrystals (NTZ-CNC) in treating experimental infected mice of cryptosporidiosis. 
 
Methods: A total of 75 male swiss albino mice were allocated into eight groups (5 mice/ group) with triplicates of each group. Infection with cryptosporidiosis was conducted with 3000 Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts. All treatments commenced on the initial day of oocyst emergence and persisted for five succeeding days across all groups, except for the negative control group. Oocysts shedding was estimated daily from 1st till 20 days post treatment. Hematological and blood biochemical analysis, immunoglobulins levels as well as histopathological studies were performed. 
 
Result: It was detected that NTZ-CNC group had the lowest Cryptosporidium oocysts shedding. Also, these treatments induced significant improvements in hematological, blood biochemical, immunoglobulins levels including immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin M with best improvements recorded in NTZ-CNC treated groups. A remarkable amelioration of the intestinal histopathological lesions was observed, especially in NTZ-CNC treated group. In conclusion, this study reported that CNC could significantly enhance the therapeutic effects of NTZ, making it a promising treatment for cryptosporidiosis due to its potent anti-parasitic and anti-inflammatory capabilities.

Cellulose Nanocrystals as a Drug Delivery System to Improve the Efficiency of Nitazoxanide against Cryptosporidium parvum Infected Mice

Background: Cryptosporidiosis caused by Cryptosporidium spp. is a zoonotic disease and is the most prevalent pathogens worldwide and leads to severe diarrhoeal diseases and affects the immunological status of the individual. Thus, the study was undertaken to examine the anti-cryptosporidial efficacy of curcumin in comparison with ethanolic extract of curcuma longa in immunocompromised mice infected with oocysts isolated from cattle calves of Jammu region and identified as Cryptosporidium parvum using nested PCR on small subunit ribosomal ribonucleic acid (SSU rRNA) gene. 
 
Methods: Two hundred female Swiss albino mice were equally divided into ten groups. Group I were kept as a healthy control, group II were immunocompromised, group III were immunocompromised and infected, group IV animals were immunocompromised, infected and treated orally with nitazoxanide. Animals in groups V to VII were immunocompromised, infected and treated with ethanolic extract of C. longa @ 4, 6 and 8 mg/kg/day/os respectively whereas groups VIII to X were immunocompromised, infected and treated with pure salt of curcumin @ 4, 6 and 8 mg/kg/day/os respectively for 5 successive days. Thus, mean oocysts per gram faeces, body weight gain and histopathological changes were measured in different groups. 
 
Result: Administration of curcumin as a therapeutic agent @ 8 mg/kg body weight for five days resulted in higher percent mean oocyst reduction of 74.03% and improved body weight gain in experimentally infected mice. Histopathological changes showed that treatment with oral curcumin (group X) in animals had minimal and improved intestinal lesions as compared to animals treated with C. longa (group VII). Altogether, curcumin showed promising anticryptosporidial effects under in vivo conditions and deserves further exploration.

​Therapeutic Efficacy of Ethanolic Extract of Curcuma longa and its Component, Curcumin against Experimental Cryptosporidiosis in Mice

Cellulose Nanocrystals as a Drug Delivery System to Improve the Efficiency of Nitazoxanide against Cryptosporidium parvum Infected Mice

​Therapeutic Efficacy of Ethanolic Extract of Curcuma longa and its Component, Curcumin against Experimental Cryptosporidiosis in Mice

Therapeutic Efficacy of Ethanolic Extract of Curcuma longa and its Component, Curcumin against Experimental Cryptosporidiosis in Mice