Protoscolicidal effects of ferulic acid on viability of protoscolices of hydatid cyst: In vitro study

Ferulic acid is one of phenolic compounds derivatives that reported to be a successful antimicrobial agent. This study aimed to investigate the effect of Ferulic acid solution on the viability of Echinococcus granulosus protoscolises. To evaluate the effects of various concentrations of Ferulic acid, 126 samples of live protoscolices of hydatid cyst were exposed to 10, 20 and 30 mg/ml concentration of Ferulic acid and 50% hypertonic glucose solutions as a positive control and 30% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) as a control and solvent. The protoscolicidal effect evaluated after 1, 3 and 7 minute, the protoscolicidal effects were determined by 0.1% eosin (eosin exclusion test), in this test protoscolices viability determined depending on the change in protoscolices green color to red after dye. A 30 mg/ml of Ferulic acid revealed perfect protoscolicidal effect (100% fatality rate) in 7 minute post treatment wile 50% hypertonic glucose made a significant decrease in protoscolices viability (94% fatality rate) in the same duration of exposure. The results showed that Ferulic acid solution is highly effective in killing protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus in vitro.