ISSN Print 2500–1094
ISSN Online 2542–1204
BIOMEDICAL JOURNAL OF PIROGOV UNIVERSITY (MOSCOW, RUSSIA)
Copyright: © 2025 by the authors. Licensee: Pirogov University.
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution license (CC BY).
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution license (CC BY).
ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Anti-opisthorchiasis and hepatoprotective effects of Populus tremula bark extract: in vitro studies
About authors
1 Central Research Laboratory, Siberian State Medical University оf the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Tomsk
2 Biolit limited liability company, Tomsk
Correspondence should be addressed: Ekaterina Alexandrovna Perina
Moskovsky tract, 2, bldg. 16, Tomsk, 634050, Russia; moc.liamg@anirepenirehtac
About paper
Funding: the project is supported by the state research assignment "720000F.99.1.BN62AB05000 Development of a new drug based on a natural complex of phenol glycosides and arabinogalactanes for the treatment of trematodosis" (Agreement on granting subsidies to a federal budget-supported or autonomous institution as financial support for the state assignment involving provision of public services (implementation of works) of 21.01.2025 No. 056-03-2025-100, supplementary agreement of 04.04.2025 No. 056-03-2025-100/1).
Author contribution: Perina EA — reproduction of opisthorchiasis invasion, assessment of anti- opisthorchiasis effect; Buyko EE — determination of hepatoprotective effect and cytotoxicity of the extract; Kaidash OA — statistical data processing, article authoring, final review and approval of the manuscript; Efimova LV — assessment of damage to the maritae's tegument; Diksas EB — reproduction of opisthorchiasis invasion; Krivoshchekov SV — synthesis of the extract; Ivanov AA — chemical analysis of the extract; Ivanov VV — study design and conceptualization, data analysis and interpretation; Udut EV — study coordination, final review and approval of the manuscript.
Compliance with ethical standards: the study was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of the Preclinical Research Center, Central Research Laboratory, Siberian State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation (Resolution No. 1 of September 02, 2023). The work was performed in full compliance with current drug circulation regulations, guidelines for the use of laboratory (experimental) animals in preclinical (non-clinical) studies, and sanitary and epidemiological standards.
Received: 2025-10-17
Accepted: 2025-11-19
Published online: 2025-12-02
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The problem of opisthorchiasis caused by Opisthorchis felineus requires a search for alternative treatments, because the trematode can develop drug resistance and the existing drugs, such as praziquantel, may have undesirable side effects. This study aimed to identify the anti- opisthorchiasis and hepatoprotective properties of Populus tremula L. bark extract using in vitro methods. The PGF-PT active fraction with a high content of phenol glycosides was obtained though extraction. PGF-PT showed a dose-dependent anti-opisthorchiasis effect: the relative mobility index of maritae decreased from 98.2% at 250 µg/ml to 54.5% at 2000 µg/ml (p < 0.05), and the proportion of immobile specimens at 2000 µg/ml was 30% (p < 0.05). The probable mechanism of action is focal damage to the cells of the parasite’s superficial epithelium (tegument). PGF-PT exhibited a pronounced hepatoprotective effect in a lipotoxicity model based on HepG2 cells, as evidenced by normalized intracellular lipid accumulation and reduced oxidative stress. A high antioxidant activity of PGF-PT was shown in the model system (IC50 = 79.3 ± 1.0 µg/ml). Thus, the PGF-PT fraction has a complex effect — eliminating parasites and correcting metabolic disorders in the liver — which makes it a promising basis for new effective anthelmintic drugs.
Keywords: antioxidants, Opisthorchis felineus, Populus tremula bark extract, anthelmintic therapy, praziquantel, phenol glycosides, tegument