Hossein Mahmoudvand - Research Center for Tropical and Infectious Diseases, Kerman University of Medical Science, Kerman, Iran Research Center for Hydatid Disease in Iran, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
Arash Asadi - Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences Kerman, Iran
Majid Fasihi Harandi - Research Center for Hydatid Disease in Iran, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
Fariba Sharififar - Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
Sareh Jahanbakhsh - Research Center for Tropical and Infectious Diseases, Kerman University of Medical Science, Kerman, Iran Research Center for Hydatid Disease in Iran, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
Ebrahimm Saedi Dezaki - Research Center for Hydatid Disease in Iran, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran

Objective(s): There are several scolicidal agents for inactivation of hydatid cyst protoscolices during surgery, but most of them are associated with adverse side effects such as sclerosing cholangitis and liver necrosis. The present study was aimed to evaluate scolicidal effects of various extracts of Nigella sativa seeds againstprotoscoleces of hydatid cyst in an in vitro model. Materials and Methods: Protoscoleces were aseptically aspirated from naturally infected livers of sheep and goats. Various concentrations of the different extracts of N. sativa (۵ to ۵۰ mg/ml) were used for ۵ to ۶۰ min. Viability of protoscoleces was confirmed by ۰.۱% eosin staining. Results: The findings exhibited that methanolic extract at the concentration of ۵۰ mg/ml after ۱۰ min of incubation, and aqueous extract at the concentration of ۵۰ mg/ml after ۳۰ min of incubation can kill ۱۰۰% of protoscoleces. In addition, all of experiments revealed dose-dependent and also time-dependent scolicidal effect of various extracts of N. sativa on the protoscoleces of hydatid cyst. Conclusion: The results of the present study demonstrated that N. sativa may be a natural source for the production of new scolicidal agent for use in hydatid cyst surgery. However, further studies will be required to evaluate scolicidal effects of N. sativa in the in vivo model.

Hydatid Cyst, Echinococcus granulosus, Nigella Sativa