Abstract :

The common scolicidal agents used for the immobilization of protoscolices of hydatid cyst aremostly associated with side effects. The purpose of the current study was to investigate themethanol extracts of Ruta graveolens, Peganum harmala L. and seeds of Citrullus colocynthis Leffects on hydatid cysts. The protoscolices were collected from hydatid cyst-infected sheep andgoats and subjected to various concentrations of methanol extracts of the three plants (10, 20, 30and 40 mg/mL) at different exposure times in vitro. Albendazole (ABZ) was used as a control.R. graveolens extract (40 mg/mL) killed 100% of the protoscolices in 75 minutes (1.25 hour)while the other concentrations (10, 20, 30 mg/mL) led to 100% mortality of the protoscolices atthe maximum period of 12 hours, after treatment. Whereas, a 21% and maximum scolicidaleffect (95%) were obtained using 20 mg/mL ABZ as control after 2 and 24-hour exposureperiod, respectively. The highest deadly effects obtained from P. Harmala and C. colocynthisextracts were 50 and 15%, respectively, using maximum concentrations (40 mg/mL), after 24hours of treatment. Moreover, various concentrations of the R. graveolens extracts were verysuperior (P < 0.05) to the two plants and ABZ as control. The anti-fibroblast study showed thatthe use of 100 mg/mL of R. graveolens extract resulted in extremely low cytotoxicity with IC50values of 65.78 mg/mL. Thus, the significant effects of this extract on the protoscolices reveal anew antihydatic activity using R. graveolens as a source of scolicidal agents.