Qom University of Medical Sciences Journal

Background and Objectives: Hydatidosis is caused by larval stage of the cestoda Echinococcus granulosus in humans and domestic animals. Many protoscolicidal agents have been used to treat it. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of albendazole and mebendazole on the viability of protoscoleces in vitro.

Methods: In this experimental study, after collection of hydatid cyst livers, protoscoleces were aseptically removed and their viability was examined; then, certain volume of protoscoleces was poured into culture medium (RPMI-1640/PBS, pH 7.2) and albendazole and mebendazole solution with final concentration of 1 µg/ml, was added to them. After a certain time interval, in order to determine the significant statistical difference between protoscoleces viability, one-way ANOVA (with bootstrap method) and Tukey post-hoc tests (for comparing two culture media RPMI and PBS), were used.

Results: In this study, albendazole was more effective in removing protoscoleces. In the group in which albendazole were used, the viability percentage of protoscoleces reached zero after 35 days, while the viability of protoscoleces in the mebendazole group reached zero after more than 42 days (p<0.05).

Conclusion: The obtained results of this research showed the favorable effect of albendazole on protoscoleces, therefore, it is likely that albendazole can be used as an appropriate drug for elimination of hydatid cyst protoscoleces and for prevention of the relapse of this disease.