Evaluation of in Vitro Effects of Selected Pharmaceuticals on the Survival of Echinococcus Granulosus Protoscolices

This study evaluated the effect of some pharmacological agents on the in vitro survival of protoscolices, which were obtained from sheep naturally infected with the metacestode stage of Echinococcus granulosus. Oxfendazole (OFZ) at a dose of 0.05 mg/ml was tested singly and then combined with Praziquantel (PZQ) at 4 mg/ml and Albendazole (ABZ) at 1 mg/ml by this study. Amongst all these drugs, OFZ revealed maximum lethality among them. Just within five minutes of exposure, when applied alone, it produced an 85.63% mortality rate compared to 17.21% for OFZ+ABZ, 15.10% in the case of OFZ+PZQ, and only 13.09% for ABZ+PZQ—mortality rates rising up to 99.04%, 71.63%, and 40.19% as well as 31.09%, respectively after only half-an-hour exposure time recorded; within thirty-five minutes one hundred percent mortality was achieved with OFZ used singly while other combinations took about forty minutes two hours and three hours. These results consolidate the potential OFZ as a strong protoscolicidal agent in the future possible therapy against hydatid disease. It can be used after laboratory testing for its side effects on lab models of hydatid disease.