Schistosoma mansoni and fascioliasis are worldwide parasitic diseases infecting 83 and 17 million people respectively causing significant morbidity and mortality. The present work was carried out to evaluate the molluscicidal activities of the ethanolic extract of three plant species namely Euphorbia aphylla, Ziziphus spina-christi and Enterolobium contortisiliquum against Biomophalaria alexandrina and Lymnaea cailliaudi (natalensis), the snails intermediate hosts of Schistosoma mansoni and Fasciola respectively. The highest molluscicidal activity was recorded for Euphorbia aphylla on both snails’ species. The least activity was recorded for Enterolobium contortisiliquum which gave negative results against both snail species up to1000 ppm. The LC50 and LC90 of the ethanolic extract of Euphorbia aphylla against Biomophalaria alexandrina snails were 87.6 ppm and142.5ppm respectively while the LC50 and LC90 of Euphorbia aphylla against Lymnaea cailliaudi snails were 0.66 ppm and 0.88 ppm respectively. The LC50 and LC90 of Ziziphus spinachristi ethanolic extract against Lymnaea cailliaudi snails were 311ppm and 500 ppm respectively. However it showed no molluscicidal activity againist B. alexandrina snails up to 1000 ppm. The histopathological changes in hermaphrodite gland of B. alexandrina and Lymnaea cailliaudi snails 2 weeks post exposure to LC25 of the ethanolic extract Euphorbia aphylla and the histopathological effect of LC25 of the ethanolic extract Ziziphus spina- christi on Lymnaea cailliaudi snails were studied. Degenerative changes in hermaphrodite acini and their contents of ova and sperms were observed. The purification of active compounds present in Euphorbia aphylla and Ziziphus spina- christi plants may offers an alternative tool for the control of snails’ intermediate hosts of Schistosoma mansoni and Fasciola. Further investigations for Enterolobium contortisiliquum may increase its potential use as plant molluscicide are recommended

Surgical removal of intact hydatid cyst is the most effective treatment for hydatid disease. Recurrence of hydatid cyst is mainly due to dissemination of protoscolices (PSCs) rich fluid during the surgical operation. Therefore, preoperative instillation of a scolicidal agent into the cyst is a common practice with adverse side effects of the used drugs. All-trans retinoic acid (atRA) is the physiological mediator of most of the functions of vitamin A, particularly as a cellular differentiation and apoptosis regulating factor. We hypothesized that instillation of atRA could provide an alternative safe scolicidal approach. We tested the scolicidal effects and ultrastructural changes imposed by atRA on human hydatid cyst PSCs in vitro. Freshly isolated hydatid cyst PSCs were subjected to atRA (at 16.7, 1.67, 0.167 µM and 16.7 nM/L). Changes in protoscolices viability (0.1% eosin exclusion) and morphology (scanning and transmission electron microscopy; SEM and TEM) were investigated. Dose-dependent PSCs death within few minutes to 7 days of exposure to atRA was observed. SEM demonstrated ultrastructural damages including rosteller disorganization, loss of hooks and distortion of hooks morphology. TEM revealed loss of the integrity of the internal tissues of PSCs, an increased vacuolization, formation of large lipid droplets in the distal cytoplasm and aberrant, rounded abnormally large sized mitochondria. atRA is a promising alternative to the available synthetic and chemical scolicidal agents. However, in vivo scolicidal activities of atRA and the possible side effects necessitate further studies

Surgical removal of intact hydatid cyst is the most effective treatment for hydatid disease. Recurrence of hydatid cyst is mainly due to dissemination of protoscolices (PSCs) rich fluid during the surgical operation. Therefore, preoperative instillation of a scolicidal agent into the cyst is a common practice with adverse side effects of the used drugs. All-trans retinoic acid (atRA) is the physiological mediator of most of the functions of vitamin A, particularly as a cellular differentiation and apoptosis regulating factor. We hypothesized that instillation of atRA could provide an alternative safe scolicidal approach. We tested the scolicidal effects and ultrastructural changes imposed by atRA on human hydatid cyst PSCs in vitro. Freshly isolated hydatid cyst PSCs were subjected to atRA (at 16.7, 1.67, 0.167 µM and 16.7 nM/L). Changes in protoscolices viability (0.1% eosin exclusion) and morphology (scanning and transmission electron microscopy; SEM and TEM) were investigated. Dose-dependent PSCs death within few minutes to 7 days of exposure to atRA was observed. SEM demonstrated ultrastructural damages including rosteller disorganization, loss of hooks and distortion of hooks morphology. TEM revealed loss of the integrity of the internal tissues of PSCs, an increased vacuolization, formation of large lipid droplets in the distal cytoplasm and aberrant, rounded abnormally large sized mitochondria. atRA is a promising alternative to the available synthetic and chemical scolicidal agents. However, in vivo scolicidal activities of atRA and the possible side effects necessitate further studies

Surgical removal of intact hydatid cyst is the most effective treatment for hydatid disease. Recurrence of hydatid cyst is mainly due to dissemination of protoscolices (PSCs) rich fluid during the surgical operation. Therefore, preoperative instillation of a scolicidal agent into the cyst is a common practice with adverse side effects of the used drugs. All-trans retinoic acid (atRA) is the physiological mediator of most of the functions of vitamin A, particularly as a cellular differentiation and apoptosis regulating factor. We hypothesized that instillation of atRA could provide an alternative safe scolicidal approach. We tested the scolicidal effects and ultrastructural changes imposed by atRA on human hydatid cyst PSCs in vitro. Freshly isolated hydatid cyst PSCs were subjected to atRA (at 16.7, 1.67, 0.167 µM and 16.7 nM/L). Changes in protoscolices viability (0.1% eosin exclusion) and morphology (scanning and transmission electron microscopy; SEM and TEM) were investigated. Dose-dependent PSCs death within few minutes to 7 days of exposure to atRA was observed. SEM demonstrated ultrastructural damages including rosteller disorganization, loss of hooks and distortion of hooks morphology. TEM revealed loss of the integrity of the internal tissues of PSCs, an increased vacuolization, formation of large lipid droplets in the distal cytoplasm and aberrant, rounded abnormally large sized mitochondria. atRA is a promising alternative to the available synthetic and chemical scolicidal agents. However, in vivo scolicidal activities of atRA and the possible side effects necessitate further studies

Surgical removal of intact hydatid cyst is the most effective treatment for hydatid disease. Recurrence of hydatid cyst is mainly due to dissemination of protoscolices (PSCs) rich fluid during the surgical operation. Therefore, preoperative instillation of a scolicidal agent into the cyst is a common practice with adverse side effects of the used drugs. All-trans retinoic acid (atRA) is the physiological mediator of most of the functions of vitamin A, particularly as a cellular differentiation and apoptosis regulating factor. We hypothesized that instillation of atRA could provide an alternative safe scolicidal approach. We tested the scolicidal effects and ultrastructural changes imposed by atRA on human hydatid cyst PSCs in vitro. Freshly isolated hydatid cyst PSCs were subjected to atRA (at 16.7, 1.67, 0.167 µM and 16.7 nM/L). Changes in protoscolices viability (0.1% eosin exclusion) and morphology (scanning and transmission electron microscopy; SEM and TEM) were investigated. Dose-dependent PSCs death within few minutes to 7 days of exposure to atRA was observed. SEM demonstrated ultrastructural damages including rosteller disorganization, loss of hooks and distortion of hooks morphology. TEM revealed loss of the integrity of the internal tissues of PSCs, an increased vacuolization, formation of large lipid droplets in the distal cytoplasm and aberrant, rounded abnormally large sized mitochondria. atRA is a promising alternative to the available synthetic and chemical scolicidal agents. However, in vivo scolicidal activities of atRA and the possible side effects necessitate further studies

Surgical removal of intact hydatid cyst is the most effective treatment for hydatid disease. Recurrence of hydatid cyst is mainly due to dissemination of protoscolices (PSCs) rich fluid during the surgical operation. Therefore, preoperative instillation of a scolicidal agent into the cyst is a common practice with adverse side effects of the used drugs. All-trans retinoic acid (atRA) is the physiological mediator of most of the functions of vitamin A, particularly as a cellular differentiation and apoptosis regulating factor. We hypothesized that instillation of atRA could provide an alternative safe scolicidal approach. We tested the scolicidal effects and ultrastructural changes imposed by atRA on human hydatid cyst PSCs in vitro. Freshly isolated hydatid cyst PSCs were subjected to atRA (at 16.7, 1.67, 0.167 µM and 16.7 nM/L). Changes in protoscolices viability (0.1% eosin exclusion) and morphology (scanning and transmission electron microscopy; SEM and TEM) were investigated. Dose-dependent PSCs death within few minutes to 7 days of exposure to atRA was observed. SEM demonstrated ultrastructural damages including rosteller disorganization, loss of hooks and distortion of hooks morphology. TEM revealed loss of the integrity of the internal tissues of PSCs, an increased vacuolization, formation of large lipid droplets in the distal cytoplasm and aberrant, rounded abnormally large sized mitochondria. atRA is a promising alternative to the available synthetic and chemical scolicidal agents. However, in vivo scolicidal activities of atRA and the possible side effects necessitate further studies