Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Parasitology 1735-7020 16 1 2021 02 17 91 100 EN Joel ELIZONDO-LUÉVANO 1. Department of Chemistry, School of Biological Sciences, Autonomous University of Nuevo León, Ciudad Universitaria, San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, México Rocío CASTRO-RÍOS 2. Department of Analytical Chemistry, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Nuevo León, Monterrey, Nuevo León, México Belén VICENTE 3. Infectious and Tropical Diseases Group (e-INTRO), Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca -Tropical Diseases Research Centre, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, Salamanca, Spain Pedro FERNÁNDEZ-SOTO 3. Infectious and Tropical Diseases Group (e-INTRO), Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca -Tropical Diseases Research Centre, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, Salamanca, Spain Julio LÓPEZ-ABAN 3. Infectious and Tropical Diseases Group (e-INTRO), Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca -Tropical Diseases Research Centre, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, Salamanca, Spain Antonio MURO 3. Infectious and Tropical Diseases Group (e-INTRO), Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca -Tropical Diseases Research Centre, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Salamanca, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, Salamanca, Spain Abelardo CHÁVEZ-MONTES 1. Department of Chemistry, School of Biological Sciences, Autonomous University of Nuevo León, Ciudad Universitaria, San Nicolás de los Garza, Nuevo León, México 2020 06 25 2021 02 17 Background: Schistosomiasis has been identified as a major public health problem in tropical countries. The present study aimed to investigate the schistosomicidal effects of the methanolic extract of Argemone mexicana L. and its active component, berberine against Schistosoma mansoni on in-vitro experiments. Methods: S. mansoni adults were used. Various concentrations of the methanolic extract (10 - 200 µg/ml) and berberine (2.5 - 50 µM) were tested from 24 to 72 h. The viability of S. mansoni was confirmed with an invertoscope-microscope. Furthermore, cytotoxic (Hemolysis test), and antioxidant (DPPH radical scavenging assay) capacities were determined. Results: The viability tests on S. mansoni showed that A. mexicana at 50 μg/mL is lethal at 48 h and berberine at 10 μM is lethal at 24 h. The hemolytic activity at 1,000 μg/mL was 2.9% for A. mexicana and 90.2% for berberine. The antioxidant capacities shown by A. mexicana and berberine, were EC50 156.3 and 84.1 μg/mL, respectively. Conclusion: The extract of A. mexicana and berberine demonstrated high antischistosomal activities in low concentration and short exposure time on the in-vitro model. https://ijpa.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijpa/article/view/2963 https://ijpa.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijpa/article/download/2963/1112