Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Parasitology

Hymenolepis nana is the commenst cestodal infection worldwide. Infection prevalence rate increases in tropical areas especially among children. This study was conducted to assess the anticestodal effect of Calotropis procera crude aqueous extract, crude methanolic extract and combined treatment of these two extracts with PZQ on H. nana worms in mice. Different parasitological parameters and tegumental studies were done on the adult worms. Also, hitopathological studies were done on the larval stage (cysticercoids). The total number of mice was divided into two groups. The first group received treatment and was sacrificed on the 4th day post infection to assess the cysticercoid stage. The other group received treatment after the development of the adult stage, confirmed by detection of eggs in stool samples Both PZQ and C. procera extracts and their combinations showed anthelminthic effects on H. nana worms; resulting in significant reduction of warm burden, total egg output and viable egg count. Adult worms showed clear tegumental changes and abnormalities with both treatments and their combinations. However, praziquantel was more rapid in action. Also, both treatments and their combinations resulted in significant reduction in cysticercoid stage count with evident histopathological changes. Therefore, C. procera leaves have anticestodal effects against H. nana with promising expectations to be an alternative plant based anthelminthic

Issued also as CD