Akbar, NoorKawish, MuhammadJabri, ToobaKhan, Naveed AhmedShah, Muhammad RazaSiddiqui, Ruqaiyyah2024-05-192024-05-1920230014-48941090-2449https://doi.org10.1016/j.exppara.2023.108474https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12713/4601Acanthamoeba castellanii causes granulomatous amoebic encephalitis, an uncommon but severe brain infection and sight-threatening Acanthamoeba keratitis. Most of the currently used anti-amoebic treatments are not always effective, due to persistence of the cyst stage, and recurrence can occur. Here in this study we synthesize cin-namic acid and lactobionic acid-based magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) using co-precipitation technique. These nanoformulations were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Atomic form microscopy. The drugs alone (Hesperidin, Curcumin and Amphotericin B), magnetic NPs alone, and drug-loaded nano -for-mulations were evaluated at a concentration of 100 mu g/mL for antiamoebic activity against a clinical isolate of A. castellanii. Amoebicidal assays revealed that drugs and conjugation of drugs and NPs further enhanced amoebicidal effects of drug-loaded nanoformulations. Drugs and drug-loaded nanoformulations inhibited both encystation and excystation of amoebae. In addition, drugs and drug-loaded nanoformulations inhibited parasite binding capability to the host cells. Neither drugs nor drug-loaded nanoformulations showed cytotoxic effects against host cells and considerably reduced parasite-mediated host cell death. Overall, these findings imply that conjugation of medically approved drugs with MNPs produce potent anti-Acanthamoebic effects, which could eventually lead to the development of therapeutic medications.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccessAcanthamoeba CastellaniiMagnetic NanoparticlesHesperidinAmphotericin BEncystationExcystationCytotoxicityCytopathogenicityArticle24636708943WOS:0009635964000012-s2.0-85147294559N/A10.1016/j.exppara.2023.108474Q2