A combination of praziquantel and the traditional medicinal plant Thunbergia laurifolia on Opisthorchis viverrini infection and cholangiocarcinoma in a hamster model

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) associated by Opisthorchis viverrini remains a health problem in Southeast Asia including Thailand. At present, there is still no efficient treatment for CCA. Thunbergia laurifolia is a traditionally used medicinal plant; its aqueous leave extract possesses the antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory on hamster opisthorchiasis had been reported previously. Here, we demonstrate the combined effects of the T. laurifolia extract plus antihelminthic drug, praziquantel (PZ) on hamsters with opisthorchiasis and hamsters with opisthorchiasis related-cholangiocarcinoma through light microscopic observations of histopathological changes, as well as liver function tests for alanine transaminase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase, and kidney function tests for blood urea nitrogen and creatinine. Results showed T. laurifolia extract combined with praziquantel reduced inflammatory cell aggregation and inhibiting CCA development, which were correlated to the serum ALT level. These present studies suggest that administration of T. laurifolia after praziquantel treatment clearly improve the hepatobiliary system and could reduce the risk of subsequent CCA development in human.