Anti- Trichomonas vaginalis Activity of Marine Ascidians (Tunicates; Ascidiacea) from the Bushehr Province, Iran.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the current research is to evaluate the antiparasite effects of compounds isolated from marine ascidian tunicates on Trichomonas vaginalis .

METHODS: Ascidian tunicates after collection were cut into small pieces, freeze-dried, and powdered. The resulting material was subjected to extraction in double-distilled water, ethanol, n-hexane, and dichloromethane. To fractionate the extracts and identify the most bioactive compound, silica gel column chromatography and GC-M/S analysis were used.

RESULTS: Fraction 18 of silica gel column chromatography of ethanol extract was the most effective against T. vaginalis . The respective IC50 , CC50 , and SI values for fraction 18 were 28.62 μg/mL, ˃800 μg/mL, and ˃27.95. GC-M/S analysis of this fraction identified a major phenolic compound (2, 4-bis (1, 1-dimethyl ethyl), whose toxicity against vero cells was only 10.15%.

CONCLUSION: The ethanolic fraction containing phenol-2,4-bis (1,1-dimethylethyl), which has a potent lethality effect on T. vaginalis , may be considered as an antiparasite drug candidate.