Purpose: To evaluate the activity of the ethanol leaf extract of Piper sarmentosum against toxoplasmosis. Methods: An in vitro anti-Toxoplasma study was conducted using Vero cells as a host for T. gondii. Clindamycin used as the reference drug. Light microscopy technique was used to study the in situ antiparasitic activity of T. gondii. Non-toxic concentrations of the ethanol extract for Vero cells were determined by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) cell proliferation. The presence of Toxoplasma gondii was observed by Giemsa staining. Results: The results showed that significant (p < 0.05) anti-toxoplasma activity of the ethanol extract, though lower than that of clindamycin (control drug), was achieved, with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 12.4 and 7.2 ?g/mL for the extract and reference drug, respectively. After 24 hours of exposure to the extract, the inoculated Vero cells showed lower parasitemia and no remarkable morphological changes. Conclusion: The findings demonstrate that the ethanol extract of P. sarmentosum leaves are active against toxoplasmosis in vitro. However, further studies are required to determine the therapeutic significance of these findings in vivo. � Pharmacotherapy Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin, Benin City, 300001 Nigeria. All rights reserved.

The increasing demand for monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) used for diagnostic and therapeutic applications has led to the development of large scale manufacturing processes, with improvements in production achieved through continuous optimization of the inherent systems. The number of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that have already been approved for therapeutic applications and for use in clinical trials have significantly increased in the past few years. In view of the side effects and limitations of mAbs, several improvements and modifications to monoclonal antibodies have been developed. These modifications have facilitated the use of mAbs in various forms of therapeutic applications such as treatment of infectious diseases caused by bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic organisms. Monoclonal antibodies have also been applied in the treatment of non-infectious diseases such as cancer, immune diseases, arthritis and other disorders resulting from organ transplantation. This review highlights mAbs applications in biomedicine, and discusses state-of-the-art technologies related to their potential uses. � Pharmacotherapy Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin, Benin City, 300001 Nigeria. All rights reserved.

Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1 (TREM-1) is a potential molecular therapeutic target for various inflammatory diseases. Despite that, the role of TREM-1 during malaria pathogenesis remains obscure with present literature suggesting a link between TREM-1 with severe malaria development. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the role of TREM-1 and TREM-1 related drugs during severe malaria infection in Plasmodium berghei-infected mice model. Our findings revealed that TREM-1 concentration was significantly increased throughout the infection periods and TREM-1 was positively correlated with malaria parasitemia development. This suggests a positive involvement of TREM-1 in severe malaria development. Meanwhile, blocking of TREM-1 activation using rmTREM-1/Fc and TREM-1 clearance by mTREM-1/Ab had significantly reduced malaria parasitemia and suppressed the production of pro- inflammatory cytokines (TNF-?, IL-6 and IFN-?) and anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10). Furthermore, histopathological analysis of TREM-1 related drug treatments, in particular rmTREM-1/Fc showed significant improvements in the histological conditions of major organs (kidneys, spleen, lungs, liver and brain) of Plasmodium berghei-infected mice. This study showed that modulation of TREM-1 released during malaria infection produces a positive outcome on malaria infection through inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines secretion and alleviation of histopathological conditions of affected organs. Nevertheless, further investigation on its optimal dosage and dose dependant study should be carried out to maximise its full potential as immunomodulatory or as an adjuvant in line with current antimalarial agents. � 2018, Indian Society for Parasitology.