Investigating the lethal effect of curcumin on hydatid cyst protoscolices in vitro

Hydatidosis is one of the most important parasitic diseases common to human beings and animals. Various  drugs are used to cure this disease.. Due to the side effects of the currently available drug treatments, efforts are being made to find effectual alternatives with fewer side effects. In this current research, curcumin, as an effective ingredient of turmeric, was examined on protoscolices of hydatid cysts in vitro. For this purpose, sheep livers infected with hydatid cysts  were obtained from Mashhad industrial slaughterhouse, the cyst protoscolices  were collected, and the viability of protoscolices  was determined by 0.1% eosin staining. To study scolicidal effects of curcumin, different concentrations of curcumin (40, 80, 160, 320 micromol ) along with positive control (Savlon) and negative control (normal saline) were applied on protoscolices  with 90% viability, 30, 60, 120, 240, 480 minutes after 37̊ C heat exposure . Subsequently, vital staining was done , and pictures were captured with a camera equipped with Tcapture software, finally, the viability of the protoscolices was calculated. All  the experiments were repeated four times. The scolicidal effects of curcumin concentrations of 160 and 320 μmol one hour after exposure were significant in comparison with the negative control group. Therefore, curcumin in the used form showed  protoscolicidal effects only in high doses. However, it may be possible  to increase the anti-protoscolices  effects of curcumin in future studies by  modifications or  combination with substances that increase its penetration and absorption.