title: Scolicidal effect of Allium sativum flowers on hydatid cyst protoscolices.
abstract: he s
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Because there is no effective and safe drug therapy for hydatid cyst, finding of some new agents especially from herbal origin with a desired scolicidal effect attracts great attention for treatment and pre-surgical use to prevent the hydatid cyst recurrence. In this study, the scolicidal effect of ultrasonic methanol extract of Garlic (Allium sativum) flower is investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Protoscolices were collected aseptically from sheep livers containing hydatid cyst and were exposed to different concentrations of extract for various exposure times. The viability of protoscolices was confirmed by 0.1% Eosin staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The scolicidal activity of extract at a concentration of 50 mg ml-1 was 59, 76, 81 and 86% after 10, 30, 60, and 180 min of exposure respectively. The scolicidal effect at 100 mg ml-1 was 67, 78, 85 and 98% after various exposure times, respectively. The results of this study showed that the ultrasonic extract has high scolicidal activity and might be used as a natural scolicidal agent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Garlic flower extracts is a potent protoscolicid and might be used in hydatid cyst treatment and pre-surgery to prevent secondary cyst recurrence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine and Student Research Committee, Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran. zadeh20@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rahimi-Esboei
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ebrahimzadeh
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fathi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rezaei Anzahaei
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004446:Echinococcus / Q000187:drug effects*; D035264:Flowers; D005737:Garlic; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012756:Sheep
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts