title: Scolicidal effects of black cumin seed (Nigella sativa) essential oil on hydatid cysts.
abstract: Surgery remains the preferred treatment for hydatid cyst (cystic echinococcosis, CE). Various scolicidal agents have been used for inactivation of protoscolices during surgery, but most of them are associated with adverse side effects. The present study aimed to evaluate the in vitro scolicidal effect of Nigella sativa (Ranunculaceae) essential oil and also its active principle, thymoquinone, against protoscolices of hydatid cysts. Protoscolices were aseptically aspirated from sheep livers having hydatid cysts. Various concentrations of the essential oil (0.01-10 mg/ml) and thymoquinone (0.125-1.0 mg/ml) were used for 5 to 60 min. Viability of protoscolices was confirmed by 0.1% eosin staining. Furthermore, the components of the N. sativa essential oil were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS). Our study revealed that the essential oil of N. sativa at the concentration of 10 mg/ml and its main component, thymoquinone, at the concentration of 1 mg/ml had potent scolicidal activities against protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus after 10 min exposure. Moreover, thymoquinone (42.4%), p-cymene (14.1%), carvacrol (10.3%), and longifolene (6.1%) were found to be the major components of N. sativa essential oil by GC/MS analysis. The results of this study indicated the potential of N. sativa as a natural source for production of a new scolicidal agent for use in hydatid cyst surgery. However, further studies will be needed to confirm these results by checking the essential oil and its active component in in vivo models.
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Tropical and Infectious Diseases, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran. ; Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mahmoudvand
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Ebrahim Saedi
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Dezaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran.
authors.forename: Farnaz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kheirandish
authors.affiliation: Razi Herbal Medicines Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad, Iran.
authors.forename: Behrouz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ezatpour
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Tropical and Infectious Diseases, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran. ; Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Sareh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jahanbakhsh
authors.affiliation: Research Center for Hydatid Disease in Iran, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Majid Fasihi
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Harandi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016227:Benzoquinones / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001681:Biological Assay; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary; D048209:Echinococcus granulosus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D031881:Nigella sativa / Q000737:chemistry*; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012639:Seeds / Q000737:chemistry; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000469:parasitology; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D016227:Benzoquinones; D009822:Oils, Volatile; C003466:thymoquinone
keywords: Echinococcus granulosus; Ranunculaceae; cystic echinococcosis; thymoquinone