In Vitro Evaluation Reveals Effect and Mechanism of Artemether against Toxoplasma gondii

Due to the limited effectiveness of existing drugs for the treatment of toxoplasmosis, there is a dire need for the discovery of new therapeutic options. Artemether is an important drug for malaria and several studies have indicated that it also exhibits anti-T. gondiiactivity. However, its specific effect and mechanisms are still not clear. To elucidate its specific role and potential mechanism, we first evaluated its cytotoxicity and anti-Toxoplasmaeffect on human foreskin fibroblast cells, and then analyzed its inhibitory activity duringT. gondiiinvasion and intracellular proliferation. Finally, we examined its effect on mitochondrial membrane potential and reactive oxygen species (ROS) inT. gondii. The CC50value of artemether was found to be 866.4 μM, and IC50was 9.035 μM. It exhibited anti-T. gondiiactivity and inhibited the growth ofT. gondiiin a dose-dependent manner. We also found that the inhibition occurred primarily in intracellular proliferation, achieved by reducing the mitochondrial membrane integrity ofT. gondiiand stimulating ROS production. These findings suggest that the mechanism of artemether againstT. gondiiis related to a change in the mitochondrial membrane and the increase in ROS production, which may provide a theoretical basis for optimizing artemether derivatives and further improving their anti-Toxoplasmaefficacy.Keywords:Toxoplasma gondii;artemether;mitochondria;mechanism;in vitro