R. Norouzi - Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
M. Hejazy - Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
D. Azizi - Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
A. Ataei - Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

Hydatidosis is the most important global parasitic infectious disease both in humans and animals, which can lodge at different organs of the host, such as liver, lung (even heart), and brain which may lead to death. Surgery is the main method for the treatment of hydatidosis. In surgical therapy of hydatidosis, the use of sporicidal agents is very important since these agents inactivate live protoscolices and prevent recurrence of infection. Presently, numerous scolicidal chemical agents have been administrated to inactivate the hydatid cyst contents. Recently, there has been a high tendency among researchers to evaluate and present herbal plants as alternative option due to inexpensiveness, availability, low side effects, and toxicity. This study aimed to evaluate the scolicidal effect of hydro alcoholic Taxus baccata L. extract in vitro for the first time. The scolicidal activities of the extract were tested in concentrations of ۵۰, ۱۰۰, and ۱۵۰ mg/ml following ۱۰, ۳۰, and ۶۰ min of incubation, and the experiments were performed in triplicate. Viability of protoscolices was confirmed by ۰.۱% eosin vital staining. The data were analyzed in SAS software (version ۹.۴). The results showed that the hydroalcoholic extract of Taxus baccata L. at the concentration of ۱۵۰ mg/ml led to killing ۶۶.۶% of protoscolices at ۶۰ min. according to the results of this investigation, it is recommended to use this plant as a scolicidal plant. The findings of the present study showed that Taxus baccata L. had potent scolicidal effects. However, further studies are required to evaluate the efficacy of Taxus baccata L. in vivo.

Hydatid cyst, in vitro, scolicidal, Taxus baccata L