title: In vitro lethal effects of various extracts of Nigella sativa seed on hydatid cyst protoscoleces.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  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 against protoscoleces of hydatid cyst in an in vitro model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Protoscoleces were aseptically aspirated from naturally infected livers of sheep and goats. Various concentrations of the different extracts of N. sativa (5 to 50 mg/ml) were used for 5 to 60 min. Viability of protoscoleces was confirmed by 0.1% eosin staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings exhibited that methanolic extract at the concentration of 50 mg/ml after 10 min of incubation, and aqueous extract at the concentration of 50 mg/ml after 30 min of incubation can kill 100% 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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  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.
authors: 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.
authors: Hossein
authors: H
authors: Mahmoudvand
authors: Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences Kerman, Iran.
authors: Arash
authors: A
authors: Asadi
authors: Research Center for Hydatid Disease in Iran, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors: Majid Fasihi
authors: MF
authors: Harandi
authors: Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors: Fariba
authors: F
authors: Sharififar
authors: 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.
authors: Sareh
authors: S
authors: Jahanbakhsh
authors: Research Center for Hydatid Disease in Iran, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors: Ebrahimm Saedi
authors: ES
authors: Dezaki
keywords: Echinococcus granulosus; Hydatid cyst; Nigella sativa