Background: There is a great need for novel strategies to overcome the high mortality associated with invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) in
immunocompromised patients. To evaluate the antifungal and antihepatotoxic potentials of Sepia ink extract, its effect on liver oxidative stress levels
was analyzed against IPA in neutropenic mice using amphotercin B as a reference drug.
Materials and Methods: Eighty neutropenic infected mice were randomly assigned into four main groups. The 1
st group was treated with saline,
neutropenic infected (NI), the 2
nd group was treated with ink extract (200 mg/kg) (IE) and the 3
rd group was treated with amphotericin B (150 mg/kg)
(AMB) and 4
th group was treated with IE plus AMB. Treatment was started at 24 h after fungal inoculation (1×10
9 conidia/ml).
Results: The present study revealed good
in vitro and
in vivo antifungal activity of IE against
A. fumigatus
. IE significantly reduced hepatic fungal
burden and returns liver function and histology to normal levels. Compared with the untreated infected group, mice in the IE, AMB, and IE+ AMB
groups had increased glutathione reduced (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and significantly reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) levels at 24 and
72 h after inoculation with
A. fumigatus conidia.
Conclusion: It is then concluded that in combination with antifungal therapy (AMB), IE treatment can reduce hepatic fungal burden, alleviate hepatic
granulomatous lesions and oxidative stress associated with IPA in neutropenic mice
