Toxoplasma gondii is an important opportunistic pathogen that causes toxoplasmosis, which has very few therapeutic treatment options. The most effective therapy is a combination of pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine; however, their utility is limited because of drug toxicity and serious side effects. For these reasons, new drugs with lower toxicity are urgently needed. In this study, the compound, (Z)-1-[(5-nitrofuran-2-yl)methyleneamino]-imidazolidine-2,4-dione (nitrofurantoin), showed anti-T. gondii effects in vitro and in vivo. In HeLa cells, the selectivity of nitrofurantoin was 2.3, which was greater than that of pyrimethamine (0.9). In T. gondii-infected female ICR mice, the inhibition rate of T. gondii growth in the peritoneal cavity was 44.7% compared to the negative control group after 4-day treatment with 100 mg/kg of nitrofurantoin. In addition, hematology indicators showed that T. gondii infection-induced serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels, biochemical parameters involved in liver injury, were reduced by nitrofurantoin significantly. Moreover, nitrofurantoin exerted significant effects on the index of antioxidant status, i.e., malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH). The nitrofurantoin-treated group inhibited the T. gondii-induced MDA levels while alleviating the decrease in GSH levels. Thus, nitrofurantoin is a potential anti-T. gondii candidate for clinical application.
Citations
Citations to this article as recorded by
Avian trichomonosis: An innovative approach in drug redirection with Ciprofloxacin, Norfloxacin, and Nitrofurantoin Marjorie de Giacometi, Yan Wahast Islabão, Alexia Brauner de Mello, Filipe Obelar Martins, Melinda Gomes Victor, Camila Belmonte Oliveira Parasitology International.2026; 112: 103221. CrossRef
Extracts of food and medicinal plants sold in Moroccan markets induce apoptosis-like in Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites in vitro Ismail Elkoraichi, Nathalie Moiré, Samira Rais, Isabelle Dimier-Poisson, Fouad Daoudi, Françoise Debierre-Grockiego Scientific African.2025; 27: e02529. CrossRef
Efficacy of nitrofurantoin in treatment of murine model of trichinellosis Basma M. Elmansory, Hager S. Zoghroban, Dina M. El-Guindy, Dina A. El-Guindy Experimental Parasitology.2025; 277: 109022. CrossRef
The Brazilian Toxoplasma gondii strain BRI caused greater inflammation and impairment in anxiogenic behavior in mice, which was reverted by rosuvastatin treatment Fernanda Ferreira Evangelista, Priscilla de Laet Sant’Ana, Willian Costa Ferreira, Thaisa Andreia Ferreira, Milena Lopes dos Santos, Amanda Hinobu de Souza, Felipe Aparecido Lacerda de Andrade, Douglas Aparecido da Silva, Luiz Daniel de Barros, Cristiane Parasitology Research.2024;[Epub] CrossRef
Inclusion of Nitrofurantoin into the Realm of Cancer Chemotherapy via Biology-Oriented Synthesis and Drug Repurposing Perihan A. Elzahhar, Hisham A. Nematalla, Houssam Al-Koussa, Carla Abrahamian, Amira F. El-Yazbi, Larry Bodgi, Jolie Bou-Gharios, Joyce Azzi, Joelle Al Choboq, Hala F. Labib, Wassim Abou Kheir, Marwa M. Abu-Serie, Mohamed A. Elrewiny, Ahmed F. El-Yazbi, A Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.2023; 66(7): 4565. CrossRef
Evaluation of mono and combined nitrofurantoin therapy for toxoplasmosis
in vivo
using murine model
Asmaa Elkholy, Rita Wassef, Omnia Alsaid, Mona Elawady, Ashraf Barakat, Ashraf Soror, Shereen Kishik Pathogens and Global Health.2023; 117(7): 664. CrossRef
Old Dogs with New Tricks: Antiparasitic Potential of Structurally Diverse 5-Nitrofuran and 5-Nitrothiophene Imines and Acyl Hydrazones Ibrahim S. Al Nasr, Waleed S. Koko, Tariq A. Khan, Rainer Schobert, Bernhard Biersack Scientia Pharmaceutica.2023; 91(3): 44. CrossRef
Anti-Toxoplasma gondii agent isolated from Orostachys malacophylla (Pallas) Fischer Yan Piao, Lili Jin, Xu Cheng, Weifeng Yan, Changhao Zhang, Sihong Wang, Chunmei Jin Experimental Parasitology.2022; 242: 108397. CrossRef
Recent Advances in the Synthesis and Development of Nitroaromatics as Anti-Infective Drugs Christina Kannigadu, David. D. N'Da Current Pharmaceutical Design.2020; 26(36): 4658. CrossRef
Safety and efficacy of the bumped kinase inhibitor BKI-1553 in pregnant sheep experimentally infected with Neospora caninum tachyzoites Roberto Sánchez-Sánchez, Ignacio Ferre, Michela Re, Patricia Vázquez, Luis Miguel Ferrer, Javier Blanco-Murcia, Javier Regidor-Cerrillo, Manuel Pizarro Díaz, Marta González-Huecas, Enrique Tabanera, Paula García-Lunar, Julio Benavides, Pablo Castaño, Andr International Journal for Parasitology: Drugs and Drug Resistance.2018; 8(1): 112. CrossRef
A Systematic Review of In vitro and In vivo Activities of Anti-Toxoplasma Drugs and Compounds (2006–2016) Mahbobeh Montazeri, Mehdi Sharif, Shahabeddin Sarvi, Saeed Mehrzadi, Ehsan Ahmadpour, Ahmad Daryani Frontiers in Microbiology.2017;[Epub] CrossRef
Lectins from Synadenium carinatum (ScLL) and Artocarpus heterophyllus (ArtinM) Are Able to Induce Beneficial Immunomodulatory Effects in a Murine Model for Treatment of Toxoplasma gondii Infection Eliézer L. P. Ramos, Silas S. Santana, Murilo V. Silva, Fernanda M. Santiago, Tiago W. P. Mineo, José R. Mineo Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology.2016;[Epub] CrossRef
First
Prev
