title: In vitro effect of Sambucus ebulus on scolices of Hydatid cysts.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Echinococcosis infection is caused in humans by the larval stage of cestodes belonging to the genus Echinococcus. Hydatid cyst cured by percutaneous aspiration, infusion of scolicidal agents with reaspiration or surgery. Many scolicidal agents have been used for inactivation of the cyst's content, but most of them are not safe due to their unanticipated side effects. In the present study, the scolicidal effect of methanolic extract of Sambucus (S.) ebulus fruit is investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Protoscolices were aseptically aspirated from sheep livers having hydatid cysts. Four concentrations (1, 10, 50 and 100 mg ml-1) of S. ebulus extract were used for 5, 10, 30 and 60 min. Viability of protoscolices was confirmed by 0.1% Eosin staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of our study indicated that methanolic extract of S. ebulus fruit showed a high scolicidal activity in vitro (p < 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Methanolic extract of S. ebulus showed high scolicidal activity in vitro. It might be used as a scolicidal cause in the surgical treatment of the hydatid cyst. However, further research on the in vivo efficacy of S. ebulus extract and its potential side effects is recommended.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Gholami
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rahimi-Esboei
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ebrahimzadeh
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pourhajibagher
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D048209:Echinococcus granulosus; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use; D027923:Sambucus / Q000737:chemistry*; D012756:Sheep
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts