Effect of Pistacia atlantica Fruit and Leaf Extracts on Hydatid Cyst Protoscolices

Background: Treatment of human hydatidosis is mainly surgical, with chemical treatment being reserved as a coadjuvant treatment. Use of effective protoscolicidal agents during surgery of hydatid disease is essential to reduce the recurrence rate. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the scolicidal effects of Pistacia atlantica leaf and fruit hydroalcoholic extracts on protoscolices of hydatid cyst. Method: Echinococcus granulosus protoscolices were obtained from 50 sheep infected with hydatid cysts. Various concentrations of plant hydroalcoholic extracts were used in different exposure times for viability assay of protoscolices. Results: The scolicidal effects of the hydroalcoholic extracts of the leaf, fresh and dried fruits were significant compared to the control groups (P < 0.05). Among the Pistacia atlantica extracts tested, 0.1% (mg/ml) concentrations of fresh fruit extract (99.09 ± 1.27) and leaf extract (89.25 ± 18.42) had strong scolicidal effects in 360 min, of exposure times and the mortality rate decreased with the lower concentration. Conclusion: Information from the current study has the strong scolicidal effect of fresh fruit hydroalcoholic extract of Pistacia atlantica on protoscoleces, which may be used as a scolicidal agent during the surgery techniques.