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Background and objectives: Hydatidosis is an important zoonotic disease with widespread distribution. For unknown reasons, some cysts are unable to produce protoscoleces, and little is known about the mechanisms involved in infertile cyst production. Therefore, characterization of hydatid cyst fluid (HCF) components could help clarify the host-parasite relationship and the fertility process of cyst. The aim of this study was to identify and quantify biochemical components of HCF of fertile and infertile cysts from different hosts.
Methods: A total of 35 HCF samples were obtained from the liver and lung of 16 cattle, 16 sheep and three humans. Fertility of cysts was determined by examination of cysts’ content. Then, total fluid was aspirated aseptically from each cyst. The samples were centrifuged at 10000×g for 15 min at 4°C, and then concentrated and dialyzed against phosphate buffer saline using an Amicon Ultra-15 5000 MWCO centrifugal filter device (Millipore, USA). All biochemical components were quantified by an automatic analyzer.
Results: The value of lactate dehydrogenase, potassium, calcium, cholesterol, glucose, urea and uric acid differed significantly in cysts collected from different hosts (P<0.001). There was also a significant difference in the amount of lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase and cholesterol between fertile and infertile cysts (P<0.039).
Conclusion: Due to the differences in biochemical composition of HCF of different host origin, it is possible that the host plays a crucial role in determining the type of biochemistry in hydatid cyst as well as in hydatid cyst fertility.

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Background and objectives: Echinococcosis is a global cosmopolitan zoonotic disease and a major veterinary and public health issue. In humans, echinococcosis usually develops following close contact with infected dogs or ingestion of the parasite eggs. Until now, no effective vaccine has been commercially developed, and treatment is only focused on controlling hydatidosis. This study was conducted to evaluate the protoscolicidal activity of alcoholic extracts of pomegranate rind and barberry.
Methods: The alcoholic extracts of pomegranate rind and barberry were prepared by mixing 330 g of powdered plants with 1,000 ml of 70% ethanol. A concentrate of viable protoscolices (PCSs) was obtained from hydatid cysts found in the lungs and liver of sheep. Next, PCSs were treated with four different concentrations (5, 10, 20, 30, and mg/ml) of each extract for 10, 20, 30, and 60 minutes. The eosin exclusion test was performed to assess viability of the PCSs.
Results: The mortality rate caused by treatment with the extracts ranged between 25% and 100%. Complete inactivation of PCSs was achieved after 60 minutes of exposure to 15 mg/ml of the pomegranate rind extract and 30 mg/ml of the barberry extract.
Conclusion: Given their favorable anti-PCSs activity, combination of conventional synthetic albendazole with the alcoholic extracts of pomegranate rind and barberry might induce higher anti-PCS activity with lower side effects. It is recommended to evaluate the anti-PCSs activities of the pomegranate rind and barberry alcoholic extracts in vivo and ex vivo.