Green synthesis of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles using aqueous leaves extracts of <i>Artemisia annua</i> : Their characterizations and anti-parasitic activity

Schistosomiasis continues to affect the health and quality of life of millions worldwide. Schistosomiasis is ranked as the second most significant targeted tropical disease after malaria. Praziquantel (PZQ) is the sole medication authorized by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the treatment of schistosomiasis. The sole drug has led to the development of parasite resistance. Consequently, the pursuit of novel alternatives has been the objective of numerous researchers. The use of nanotechnology in the treatment of schistosomiasis is of paramount importance for mitigating the adverse effects associated with chemotherapy. This study evaluated the effects of green-synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles by <i>Artemisia annua</i> on <i>Schistosoma mansoni</i>, which infected <i>Mesocricetus auratus</i> both <i>in vitro</i> and <i>in vivo</i> at various doses of 100, 50, 25, 12.5, 6.25, and 3.125 μg/ml as well as in mixtures with PZQ at concentrations of 12.5+0.4, 25+0.3, 50+0.2 and 75+0.1 μg/ml. Adult <i>S. mansoni</i> worms were subjected to <i>in vitro</i> testing in the RPMI-1640 medium for a duration of 48 hours. At a concentration of 100 μg/ml, it caused 100 % mortality after 6 hours, whereas concentrations of 50 and 25 μg/ml resulted in complete mortality after 12 hours. At a concentration of 12.5 μg/ml, praziquantel alone caused the worms to die after 24 hours, whereas praziquantel combined with ZnO nanoparticles was more effective, causing death after 18 hours. Treatment with zinc oxide nanoparticles significantly decreased both the size and number of granulomas, along with the amount of eggs in the liver tissues of hamsters. All prior studies consistently corroborated the characteristics of ZnONPs synthesized using <i>Artemisia annua</i>. The results show that in laboratory experiments, green ZnO nanoparticles combined with PZQ exhibited significant efficacy against <i>Schistosoma mansoni</i>.