High scolicidal effect of Zataria multiflora on protoccoleces of hydatid cyst: an in vitro study

Hydatidosis in humans and animals is an economic and public health problem in many parts of the world, and surgery is still the main treatment for hydatid disease. One of the most important endpoints of hydatid cyst surgery is recurrence. The main cause of recurrence is dissemination of protoscolices during the surgical operation. Preoperative destruction of the cyst’s contents through instillation of a scolicidal agent into the hydatid cyst is the most commonly used approach to prevent this complication. Various scolicidal agents have been used for inactivation of the cyst content, but most are accompanied by adverse side effects. In the present study, the scolicidal effect of methanolic extract of Zataria multiflora is investigated. Protoscoleces were aseptically collected from sheep livers containing hydatid cyst and were used in the experiments. Z. multiflora extract was used at a concentration of 10 and 25 mg/ml for 1, 2, and 3 min. Viability of protoscoleces was confirmed by 0.1% eosin staining. Z. multiflora extract at a concentration of 10 mg/ml killed 68.9%, 93.7%, and 100% of protoccoleces after 1, 2, and 3 min respectively. The scolicidal effect of this extract at a concentration of 25 mg/ml was 100% after 1 min. The results of present study showed that methanolic extract of Z. multiflora has high scolicidal activity and might be used as an effective scolicidal agent. This is the first report on the scolicidal activity of Z. multiflora .