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VOL. 8, ISSUE 2 (2026)
Evaluating the prophylactic and therapeutic potential of Thymus vulgaris (Thyme) extract against intestinal protozoan parasites
Authors
Saja Abbas Abdul -jabbar, Rahma Mozahim Al-attar
Abstract
The global impact of intestinal protozoal
infections caused by organisms including Cryptosporidium parvum, Giardia
lamblia, Entamoeba histolytica, and Eimeria tenella, is made
worse by having no effective treatments and increasing levels of drug
resistance. T. vulgaris (thyme) is a medicinal herb containing thymol
and carvacrol, both of which have been shown to possess some anti-parasitic
properties. This study aimed to evaluate the prophylactic and therapeutic
properties of T. vulgaris extract, in Wistar rats infected with C.
parvum. A total of 60 rats were separated into 6 treatment groups,
including control, metronidazole, thyme, and combination treatments.
standardized extract was administered daily for 25 days. Thyme was shown to
reduce the copious shedding of oocysts, improve the clinical signs, and all
treated groups showed stabilization in body weight. The addition of
metronidazole in combination therapy, yielded even better results which
suggests some degree of synergistic effect. There is also some documented
evidence in the literature to support the claim that thyme is effective in the
control of Giardia, Eimeria, and Entamoeba infections through the control of
several biological pathways. In conclusion, T. vulgaris is a safe and
effective alternative in the integrated management of intestinal protozoan
infections, and the possibility of further research into the molecular and
clinical studies is warranted.
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Pages:72-77
How to cite this article:
Saja Abbas Abdul -jabbar, Rahma Mozahim Al-attar "Evaluating the prophylactic and therapeutic potential of <i>Thymus vulgaris</i> (Thyme) extract against intestinal protozoan parasites". International Journal of Biotechnology and Microbiology, Vol 8, Issue 2, 2026, Pages 72-77
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