title: Peppermint (Mentha piperita) and albendazole against anisakiasis in an animal model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Therapy against anisakiasis requires invasive techniques to extract L3 , and an effective drug against this nematode is needed. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of peppermint essential oil (EO) and its main components against the parasite in comparison to albendazole, a drug currently prescribed to treat anisakiasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted in vitro experiments and studied an experimental model simulating the human infection in Wistar rats. We used polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism to identify A. simplex s.s. and A. pegreffii and determine any differences in their pathogenicity and susceptibility to the treatments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The in vitro and in vivo experiments both showed that the larvicidal activity of peppermint EO, menthol, menthone and menthyl acetate is higher than that of albendazole. Large stomach lesions were observed in 46.7% of the albendazole-treated rats, whereas no gastrointestinal lesions were detected in those treated with peppermint EO, menthol, menthyl acetate or menthone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this animal model, treatment with peppermint EO or its main components was more effective than was treatment with albendazole. Lesions were more frequently produced by A. simplex s.s. larvae than by A. pegreffii larvae.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
authors.forename: Ma Carmen
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Romero
authors.forename: Ma Concepción
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Navarro
authors.forename: Joaquina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martín-Sánchez
authors.forename: Adela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valero
mesh_terms: D015766:Albendazole / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D017129:Anisakiasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D017163:Anisakis / Q000187:drug effects*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects; D036142:Mentha piperita / Q000737:chemistry*; D008610:Menthol / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013045:Species Specificity; D013270:Stomach / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010936:Plant Extracts; D010938:Plant Oils; D008610:Menthol; C019466:menthone; C015424:peppermint oil; D015766:Albendazole
keywords: Aceite Esencial de Menta; Albendazol; Anisakiasis; Mentol; Mentona; Metilacetato; acétate de menthyl; albendazole; anisakiase; anisakiasis; huile essentielle de menthe poivrée; menthol; menthone; menthyl acetate; peppermint essential oil