Background: Cystic echinococcosis is a frequent worldwide disease. Surgery is the main policy of treatment. The benzimidazoles are the drugs of choice as adjuvant therapy besides surgery, but they have some drawbacks, so there is a pressing need to develop other safe and cheap drugs such as an herbal extract. Objectives: To increase the efficacy of Nigella sativa oil (NSO) administered either as monotherapy or combined with albendazole, and using chitosan nanoparticles as a drug delivery system for both drugs. Material and Methods: E. granulosus protoscoleces were obtained by aseptic puncture of hydatid cysts. Mice infected by intraperitoneal inoculation with nearly 1000 protoscoleces per mouse were subdivided into 7 groups: G2, infected non-treated; G3, treated with albendazole; G4, treated with NSO; G5, treated with NSO and albendazole; G6, treated with albendazole loaded on chitosan nanoparticles; G7, treated with NSO loaded on chitosan nanoparticles; G8, treated with albendazole and NSO loaded on chitosan nanoparticles. G1 included the non-infected, non-treated control mice. Serum was collected for biochemical and serological assay. NO was measured according to nitric oxide assay colorimetric kit. The systemic level of TNF-α and IL-5 was determined in the plasma of mice using commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Results: The results revealed that a significant increase of IL-5 occurred in all treated groups to reach the highest value in G8. There was a significant decrease of TNF-α in all treated groups in comparison to G1 and G2 (P<0.001). Mean level of nitric oxide (NO) was significantly increased in groups loaded on chitosan nanoparticles in comparison to G2. Conclusion: Nigella sativa oil showed a promising effect on CE when used alone or in combination with albendazole and its effect was augmented when loaded on chitosan nanoparticles.Nanotechnology and treatment of echinoncoccosis Kishik et al.,
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