Anthelmintic effects of some medicinal plants on different life stages of Fasciola hepatica: Evidence on oxidative stress biomarkers, and DNA damage.

Fasciolosis caused by Fasciola hepatica is a major public health and economic problem worldwide. Due to the lack of a successful vaccine and emerging resistance to the drug triclabendazole, alternative phytotherapeutic approaches are being investigated. This study investigated the in vitro anthelmintic activity of Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) essential oils (EOs) against F. hepatica. The in vitro study was based on an egg hatch assay (EHA), adult motility inhibition assays, DNA damage, reactive oxygen species (ROS) level along with several oxidative stress biomarkers including glutathione peroxidase (GSH), and glutathione-S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA). To this end, different concentrations of L. angustifolia and C. siliqua EOs (1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 mg/mL) were used to assess anthelmintic effects on different life stages including egg, and adults of F. hepatica for 24 hrs. The results indicated that these EOs play a significant role as anthelminthics, and the effect was dependent on time and concentration. The in vitro treatment of F. hepatica worms with both L. angustifolia and C. siliqua EOs increased DNA damage, ROS production and induction of oxidative stress (decreased SOD, GST and GSH, and increased MDA), significantly compared to control. Therefore, it can be concluded that L. angustifolia and C. siliqua EOs have the potential to be used as novel agents for the control and treatment of F. hepatica infections. Further studies are required to investigate their pharmacological potential and effectiveness in vivo for the treatment of parasitic infections. Author summary: Fasciolosis is a disease caused by a leaf-shaped trematode called Fasciola hepatica. This disease is becoming increasingly common in humans and has been reported on five continents. F. hepatica primarily infects the bile ducts of cattle, sheep and goats, causing significant economic losses to the global livestock industry. Unfortunately, this disease has been neglected and there is currently no commercially viable vaccine to prevent it. The main treatment for this disease is chemotherapy, with triclabendazole (TCBZ) being the drug of choice for controlling these parasites. However, there is growing concern about the increase in reports of drug resistance to TCBZ in parasites. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find alternative treatment methods. Natural herbal products give great hope as they contain a large reservoir of medicinal ingredients that are effectively used against various parasitic diseases. The aim of the current study is to evaluate the in vitro effect of essential oils of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) on F. hepatica. According to the findings of this study, L. angustifolia and C. siliqua essential oils (EOs) have significant effects as anthelmintics. The use of L. angustifolia and C. siliqua EOs in vitro significantly increased DNA damage, ROS production, and oxidative stress in F. hepatica worms. Therefore, it can be concluded that these EOs have the potential to be used as novel agents for the control and treatment of F. hepatica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]