The effect of aqueous and alcoholic extracts of the oleander plant on the vitality of the protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus isolated from sheep in vitro

Background: Hydatid disease caused by Echinococcus granulosus remains a significant public health problem in many developing countries. There is a growing interest in identifying effective, plant-based scolicidal agents as alternatives to conventional chemical treatments, which may have side effects or limited efficacy. This study investigates the scolicidal activity of aqueous and alcoholic extracts of Nerium oleander leaves on the protoscolices (primary heads) of E. granulosus in vitro. Methods: Protoscolices were isolated from infected sheep livers and exposed to aqueous and alcoholic extracts of N. oleander leaves at four concentrations: 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1.00 g/mL. Treatments were evaluated over four exposure times: 1, 6, 12, and 24 hours. The viability of protoscolices was assessed using eosin exclusion staining. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA with significance set at p ≤ 0.05. Results: Both extracts showed a concentration- and time-dependent scolicidal effect. The aqueous extract at 1.00 g/mL reduced protoscolex viability to 84.82% after 24 hours (p ≤ 0.05). The alcoholic extract at the same concentration achieved a higher mortality rate of 89.13% (p ≤ 0.05). The alcoholic extract consistently outperformed the aqueous extract across all concentrations and time points, indicating stronger scolicidal potential. Conclusion: E. granulosus protoscolices exhibit decreased viability when exposed to both aqueous and alcoholic N. oleander extracts, with the alcoholic extract showing superior efficacy. These findings suggest that N. oleander leaf extracts—especially in alcoholic form—may serve as promising plant-based scolicidal agents. Further in vivo studies and safety assessments are recommended before clinical application.