Scolicidal activity of zinc oxide nanoparticles against hydatid cyst protoscolices in vitro

Objective(s): Nanoparticles (NPs) are particles with the size range approximately from 1 to 100 nanometers that are made in different shapes. Nanotechnology is an emerging technology that expected to open some new opportunities in order to destroy and control of microorganisms using of materials and systems at the scale of the atom. Echinococcus granulosus is the agent of cystic echinococcosis (CE), which has a cosmopolitan distribution. This parasite causes hydatid cysts that can afflicted at various organs of mammalian host such as liver, lung even in heart, brain and bone which may lead to death. The current methods for treatment of human CE include surgery. Methods: This study was undertaken for the first time to evaluate the scolicidal effect of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO- NPs) against hydatid cyst protoscolices in vitro. The scolicidal activities of the zinc oxide nanoparticles were tested in concentrations of 50,100 and 150 mg/ml following 10, 30 and 60 min of incubation and tested were repeated at three times. Data were analyzed by SAS software. Results: The results showed that the zinc oxide nanoparticles at the concentration of 50 mg/ml leads to killing 19/6% protoscolices at 10 minutes. In 150 mg/ml concentration, the black ZnO particles were covered on all protoscolices, and they could not be seen or counted. Conclusions: This investigation showed that ZnO-NPs a statistically significant difference in the protoscolicidal activity with different dilutions but, is not recommended as a powerful scolicidal agent.