Abstract

Objectives: Malaria continues to pose a substantial, widespread health challenge, necessitating innovative therapeutic approaches to combat drug resistance and alleviate organ damage associated with infection. This study investigated the hepatorenal protective effects of encapsulated Holothuria atra in an experimental malaria mouse model caused by Plasmodium berghei ANKA.
Materials and Methods: Random assignment of forty-eight BALB/c mice resulted in eight distinct groups for the study: an untreated control group (a negative control), a chloroquine-treated group (positive control), and six combination therapy groups receiving chloroquine alongside encapsulated H. atra with varying gum Arabic/soy protein isolate (GA/SPI) ratios and dosages. Renal and hepatic histopathology were assessed.
Results: The chloroquine-only group (G2) exhibited the highest renal damage scores. Combination therapy, particularly with the 4:1 GA/SPI ratio at 100 mg/kg (G8), significantly reduced renal and hepatic damage compared with G2, approaching negative-control levels in several parameters. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences in histopathological scores among the groups.
Conclusions: Encapsulation enhanced the therapeutic efficacy of H. atra, with the 4:1 ratio optimizing the delivery of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds, thus mitigating drug-induced and malaria-related organ toxicities. Encapsulated H. atra shows promise as a valuable adjunct in antimalarial therapy.

Key words: Malaria; Encapsulation; Holothuria atra; Hepatorenal; Histopathology