Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the scolicidal activity of Nigella sativa seed's oil concerning the viability in vitro and biomolecules content (carbohydrates, proteins and nucleic acids) ofEchinococcus granulosus protoscolices. Protoscolices were aseptically aspiratedfromcysts of livers and lungs (naturally infected) which eradicated from goats and sheep that had been slaughtered at Mosul local abattoir / Nineveh / Iraq from September 2017 to May 2018. Various concentrations of N. sativa seed's oil (20 to 60 µl/ml) were applied on special time interval (5-40min). Viability of protoscolices was checked using vital stain (0.1% aqueous eosin). Concentration of carbohydrates, proteins and nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) were estimated after treating the protoscolices with LC₅₀ of the seed's oil (40 µl/ml) comparing with untreated group. It is revealed that mortality rate of protoscolices, those were treated for 10 minutes with 40 µl/ml and 60 µl/ml of Nigella sativa oil, were approximately 50% and 100% respectively. Viability % of protoscolices treated with 20% hypertonic saline solution for 5 minutes was 43%, whereas, 16% of protoscolices were viable when treated with 60 µl/ml of seed's oilat the same time. The experiments detect concentration and time-dependent scolicidal effect of N. sativa seed's oilon the E. granulosus protoscolices. Mean concentrations of carbohydrates, proteins and nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) were significantly higher at P≤ 0.05 in control group (62.6µg/ml, 31.0 mg/dl and (23.4 and 82.9 µg/ml, respectively) than that found in LC₅₀ treated protoscolices (58.3 µg/ml, 15.3 mg/dl and (18.19 and 64.48 µg/ml, respectively).The study showed that oil extract of N. sativa seedshas a significant (P≤ 0.05) clear impact in reducing viability of E. granulosus protoscolices, as well as, mean concentrations of its biomolecules which may open away for further experiments about scolicidal validity of N. sativa seeds oil in vivo.