scolicidal activity of capparis spinosa hydroalcoholic extract on echinococcus granulosus protoscolices

Hydatidosis (cystic echinococcosis) is one of the most important helminthic and major zoonotic diseases caused by echinococcus granulosus (1). there is no safe and suitable remedy for cystic echinococcosis, so the discovery of new compounds with promising scolicidal effects, particularly from herbal sources, is of great importance for therapeutic uses in its treatment and prevention (2). considering the anti-parasitic properties of capparis spinosa, this study was conducted to compare the in vitro effect of c. spinosa hydroalcoholic extract with albendazole on protoscolices of hydatid cyst (3). in this study, at the flowering stage of c. spinosa plant was collected from firouzkouh city, mazandaran province, iran. protoscolices were extracted from the livers infected with hydatid cyst and exposed to different concentrations of c. spinosa (10, 25, 50 and 100 μg/ml) for 10, 30, 60 and 120 min. the viability of protoscolices was measured by 0.10% eosin staining. all concentrations of c. spinosa led to significant mortality compared to the control group. after 10 min, the highest mortality was occurred in the c. spinosa extract (72.33%). the difference between c. spinosa extract concentrations at 10 min was significant. at thirty min, the highest mortality was observed in the c. spinosa extract 100 group (92%). the highest mortality rate was in the treatment group with c. spinosa extract 100 µg/ml (100%) after 1 hr. at 2 hr, the highest mortality was observed in the c. spinosa extract 100 µg/ml (100%). all concentrations of c. spinosa in comparison with albendazole control group caused significant mortality in protoscolices. this study showed that c. spinosa hydroalcoholic extract has an acceptable scolicidal effect compared to the albendazole.