Sci Rep 2026 Jul 05;161:. doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-60075-y.

Assessment of the therapeutic efficacy of Holothuria polii extract during the muscular phase of Trichinella spiralis infection in albino mice.

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Marine invertebrates are an important source of bioactive natural products with potential therapeutic applications, owing to their chemically diverse defense mechanisms. Trichinellosis is a widespread food-borne zoonosis caused by Trichinella spiralis (T. spiralis). Albendazole (ABZ) is the main treatment, but its efficacy against encysted and newborn larvae is limited. This limitation, together with emerging resistance, has prompted the search for safer alternative antiparasitic agents, particularly natural compounds. Holothuria polii (H. polii) is a bioactive-rich sea cucumber with promising therapeutic applications. The current study was designed to assess the anti-T. spiralis effectiveness of H. polii extract (HPE), for the first time, against the muscular phase of experimental trichinellosis, either alone or in combination with ABZ, and to explore its prospective application as an adjunct to ABZ therapy to enhance treatment outcomes and tissue recovery. To fulfill this aim, mice were distributed at random into five experimental groups, as follows: a control group and four T. spiralis-infected groups: untreated, ABZ-treated, HPE-treated, and combined therapy-treated. The treatment with HPE, alone or combined with ABZ, reduced larval burden and improved host muscular tissue health by reducing oxidative stress, enhancing antioxidant defenses, and restoring serum liver and muscular enzyme activities to their normal values. Histopathological examination of the treated groups revealed preservation of the skeletal and diaphragmatic muscular architecture, reduced inflammatory cell infiltration, and degeneration of larval capsules, particularly with combined therapy. These findings were accompanied by downregulation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) immune expressions in both skeletal and diaphragmatic muscles compared with the untreated and ABZ-treated groups, indicating reduced inflammation and angiogenesis. The present study concluded that HPE exhibits diverse and efficacious activity against trichinellosis and may be regarded as a promising adjuvant treatment alongside ABZ for T. spiralis infection. However, further studies are required to validate its potential efficacy in clinical applications.

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