Comparative study of aqueous and alcoholic extracts of Malva sylvestris and Tribulus terrestris with metronidazole on two subtypes of Trichomonas vaginalis in vitro

Trichomonas vaginalis, which is a pathogen of the human reproductive system, is the cause of trichomoniasis. Metronidazole is the drug of choice for the treatment of this disease, which has side effects such as dizziness, carcinogenesis, and drug resistance. Therefore, it seems necessary to find an alternative medicine. Therefore, the present study was performed with aim to evaluate the effects of aqueous and alcoholic extracts of Malva sylvestris and Tribulus terrestris on two subtypes of Trichomonas vaginalis in laboratory conditions.

In this study, aqueous and alcoholic extracts of Malva sylvestris and Tribulus terrestris in dilutions of 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10, 20 mg/ml and metronidazole with dilutions of 0.78, 1.56, 3.125, 6.25, 12.5, 25 μg/ml were administered to Trichomonas vaginalis type i and g at 24 and 48 hours. Live parasites were counted with Neobar slide and then cytotoxicity of Metronidazole and extracts was evaluated by MTT method on Hela cell line. Data were analyzed with two way ANNOVA graphpad method.

Ic50, CC50 and SI indexes were calculated and the decrease in the percentage of parasite survival was significant in all concentrations and in both 24 and 48 hours compared to the control group (p=0.0001). Ethanol extracts of Tribulus terrestris and Malva sylvestris have a higher SI than water extract of Tribulus terrestris and Malva sylvestris, but they are very different from the SI index of metronidazole. These two extracts have a good inhibitory effect on parasites, but their toxicity was high. Because the cell-killing effect of these extracts on the hella cell line was high, it is suggested to conduct a study on the effect of these extracts in the treatment of cancer cells.

The ethanolic extract of Tribulus terrestris has a good inhibitory effect on both types of Trichomonas vaginalis, especially type g, while the ethanolic extract of Malva sylvestris has a very good inhibitory effect on type i of the parasite in 48 hours. Aqueous and alcoholic extracts of Malva sylvestris and Tribulus terrestris have lower SI than metronidazole, so the effects of the extracts are less than metronidazole.