Efficacy of Myrtus communis L. to Inactivate the Hydatid Cyst Protoscoleces

The present study aims to investigate the scolicidal effects of Myrtus communis L. essential oil against protoscoleces of hydatid cysts and also its toxicity in mice model.

Protoscoleces were aseptically aspirated from sheep livers having hydatid cysts. Various concentrations of the essential oil (12.5-100 μl/ml) were used for 5-30 min. Viability of protoscoleces was confirmed using eosin exclusion test (0.1% eosin staining). Moreover, 48 male NMRI mice were used to determine the acute and sub-acute toxicity of M. communis essential oil. One-way ANOVA with Tukey's post-hoc test was used to assess differences between experimental groups.

Findings of the present study demonstrated that the M. communis essential oil at the concentration of 100 μl/ml after 5 min of exposure killed 100% protoscoleces. Similarly, the mean mortality rate of protoscoleces after 10 min of exposure to concentration of 50 μl/ml was 100%. However, lower concentrations (12.5 and 25 μl/ml) of M. communis essential oil provoked a delayed protoscolicidal effects. The LD50 values of intraperitoneal injection of the M. communis essential oil was 2.23 mL/kg body wt. No significant difference (p > .05) was observed in the clinical chemistry and hematological parameters following oral administrations of M. communis essential oil at the doses 0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4 mL/kg for 14 days.

The results showed potent scolicidal activity of M. communis with no significant toxicity, which might be used as a natural scolicidal agent in hydatid cyst surgery.