Experimental parasitology最新文献

{"title":"Aniba rosaeodora essential oil as a potent, eco-friendly larvicide against Aedes albopictus","authors":"Roselyn Manngaihsiam,&nbsp;Zothan Siama,&nbsp;Kiran R. Kharat","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109047","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109047","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mosquito-borne diseases pose a significant threat to global health, necessitating innovative and sustainable vector control strategies. <em>Aedes albopictus</em>, a key vector, requires effective larvicidal agents to mitigate its spread. Herein, we aimed to evaluate the larvicidal efficacy of <em>Aniba rosaeodora</em> essential oil (AREO) against <em>A</em>. <em>albopictus</em> larvae, assess its cytotoxic and neurotoxic mechanisms, and explore its potential as a sustainable alternative to conventional mosquito larvicides. The larvicidal activity of AREO was tested against <em>A</em>. <em>albopictus</em> larvae by measuring its concentration- and time-dependent toxicity. Histological analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to examine cytotoxic effects on larval tissues. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibition was assessed to determine neurotoxic mechanisms. AREO demonstrated significant larvicidal activity, with LC₅₀ values of 40.225 and 10.382 ppm at 24 and 48 h, respectively. Histological analysis revealed midgut epithelial disintegration, whereas SEM confirmed structural damage to the cuticle. AREO exhibited potent AChE inhibition (78.8 % at 100 ppm compared with the control), indicating a neurotoxic mode of action. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report AREO as an effective larvicidal agent against <em>A</em>. <em>albopictus</em>. Despite its limitations, such as the need for field trials and broader ecotoxicity studies, AREO shows promise as a sustainable alternative to conventional mosquito larvicides.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":"278 ","pages":"Article 109047"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145413183","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In vitro evaluation of the efficacy of acetic acid at 6 % (table vinegar) on inhibiting Fasciola hepatica metacercariae","authors":"Maria Victoria Solana ,&nbsp;Pizzarello Gimena ,&nbsp;Galante Martina ,&nbsp;Solana Hugo","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109031","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109031","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Fasciolosis is a zoonotic disease caused by <em>Fasciola hepatica</em>, and poses significant public health and economic challenges, particularly in regions where livestock farming is predominant. This study evaluates the effect of table vinegar on <em>F. hepatica</em> metacercariae viability and infectivity through an innovative <em>In vitro</em> excystment assay, in order to test the effectiveness of common household sanitization practices. Metacercariae were exposed to different concentrations of vinegar solutions at varying durations, and viability and excystment capacity were subsequently assessed, simulating gastrointestinal conditions. Both vinegar concentration and exposure time significantly influenced excystment rates, with higher vinegar concentrations resulting in decreased metacercariae viability, however, conditions equivalent to commonly promoted household practices were found to be inefficient at eliminating infection risk. This is the first study to employ an in vitro excystment assay to evaluate the infectivity of <em>F. hepatica</em> metacercariae after exposure to vinegar. Our findings highlight that typical household practices, such as briefly soaking vegetables in diluted vinegar, are inadequate for effectively eliminating parasite viability and thus could favor infection, affecting public health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":"278 ","pages":"Article 109031"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145228344","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In vitro and in vivo activity of a lipid-based artemisinin formulation against Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis","authors":"Laura Machín ,&nbsp;Rachel Nápoles ,&nbsp;Beatriz Tamargo ,&nbsp;Arianna Yglesias-Rivera ,&nbsp;Lars Gille ,&nbsp;William N. Setzer ,&nbsp;Lianet Monzote","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109032","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109032","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Previous studies have demonstrated the antileishmanial potentialities of endoperoxide (EP) compounds, including artemisinin (ART). In the design of pharmaceutical formulations, the lipid-based delivery systems based on cochleates has attracted attention due to their stability, versatility, biocompatibility and biodegradability. The aim of the present study was to compare the <em>in vitro</em> and <em>in vivo</em> antileishmanial activity of ART with their nanocochleates formulations (ART-C) and reference drug Glucantime®. The antileishmanial and cytotoxic activities were evaluated on intracellular amastigotes of <em>Leishmania</em> (<em>Leishmania</em>) <em>amazonensis</em> and peritoneal macrophages from BALB/c mice, respectively. <em>In vivo</em> assessment was also performed on cutaneous leishmaniasis induced in BALB/c mice using a treatment protocol of 5 doses at 30 mg/kg every 4 days by intralesional route. The ART-C maintained its <em>in vitro</em> activity with an IC₅₀ of 16.3 ± 3.6 μM, which was similar to ART (14.9 ± 2.4 μM). In both cases, no cytotoxicity on peritoneal macrophages was observed at maximum concentration tested (170 μM). In ART-C treated mice, the disease development was prevented (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05) with respect to animals treated with empty cochleates (EC), treated with ART, and untreated mice, under enhanced of IL-12 formation. Our results demonstrate the benefit of ART-C as a promising antileishmanial therapeutic formulation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":"278 ","pages":"Article 109032"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145274187","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Current challenges and future prospects in patients with recurrent cystic echinococcosis; an updated mini review","authors":"Nayer Mehdizad Bakhtiar ,&nbsp;Mahmoud Mahami-Oskouei ,&nbsp;Ehsan Ahmadpour ,&nbsp;Mohammad Hasan Kohansal ,&nbsp;Adel Spotin","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109028","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109028","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Recurrent cystic echinococcosis (RCE) occurs by the spillage of live protoscoleces during unsuccessful surgery or spontaneous rupturing of fertile hydatid cyst<em>.</em> Currently, RCE presents a significant concern within surgical community. Managing RCE cases is challenging due to limitations in diagnostic follow-up, therapeutic pitfalls, emerging drug resistance, and innate immunological responses between host-parasite cross-talk. Recent advances suggest that parasite-derived microRNAs hold promise as biomarkers for early detection and monitoring of RCE. Additionally, combining benzimidazoles (parasito-static) with praziquantel (parasiticidal) in nano-formulation derivatives has demonstrated potential pharmacokinetic synergism, highlighting the need for personalized treatment plans. Optimizing surgical methods and ensuring regular chemotherapy following both conservative and radical surgeries are crucial for minimizing RCE. Furthermore, identifying β-tubulin codons in albendazole-resistant hydatid cyst and the role of toll-like receptor polymorphisms are critical for developing targeted therapies. The insights presented here aim to support specialists in developing effective interventions and preventive measures to reduce and improve patient outcomes in.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":"277 ","pages":"Article 109028"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145091704","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phytochemical characterization and insight into the in vitro anthelmintic activity of Artemisia brevifolia Wall ex Dc. against the different life stages of the gastrointestinal nematode of sheep","authors":"Shabbir Hussain ,&nbsp;Aqleemul Islam ,&nbsp;Zeenat Islam ,&nbsp;Fayaz Ahmad ,&nbsp;Kamal Jaiswal ,&nbsp;Suman Mishra","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109030","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109030","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) are the major constraint to the production of small ruminants worldwide, causing significant losses in growth, productivity, and overall health. Clinical infections may linked to anaemia, diarrhoea, anorexia, oedema, and even mortality, whereas subclinical infections result in hidden production losses. Synthetic drugs are the primary means of control; however, their indiscriminate use has led to the emergence of parasite strains resistant to multiple classes of anthelmintics, this has created strong need for sustainable alternatives. Ethnomedicinal plants have emerged as promising alternative, with <em>Artemisia brevifolia</em> Wall ex Dc. is used as an anthelmintic remedy in small ruminants. The current study aimed to appraise the phytochemical characterization and <em>in vitro</em> anthelmintic activity of crude ethanolic extract (CEE) and crude aqueous extract (CAE) of <em>A. brevifolia.</em> CEE exhibited higher phenolic and flavonoid contents than CAE, with FTIR showing more distinct absorption peaks. HPLC-UV confirmed the presence of key phenolics (gallic acid, quercetin, ferulic acid, vanillic acid, and kaempferol), while LC-MS identified 33 compounds. Anthelmintic activity, assessed through egg hatch test (EHT), larval motility test (LMT), and adult worm motility inhibition assay (AWMIA), revealed that CEE exhibited 87.5 % egg hatch inhibition at 50 mg/mL and complete (100 %) adult worm motility inhibition after 8h post exposure (PE) at 25 mg/mL, while CAE showed 82.7 % and 63.3 % inhibition, respectively. Both extract exhibit dose dependent larvicidal activity. The findings of the present study divulged the remarkable phytochemical characterization and anthelmintic properties of <em>A. brevifolia</em>, and it could be a promising anthelmintic agent in veterinary medicine.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":"277 ","pages":"Article 109030"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145185109","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Targeting the zinc metalloprotease gp63 of Leishmania for vaccine design and new drug discovery using immunoinformatics, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation studies","authors":"Mohammad Tuhin Ali ,&nbsp;Tania Rahman ,&nbsp;Parag Palit ,&nbsp;Muhammad Ikhtear Uddin ,&nbsp;Veronique Seidel","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109009","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109009","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne parasitic disease caused by <em>Leishmania</em> spp., for which there is no vaccine and an urgent need for better drugs. The zinc metalloprotease gp63 of <em>Leishmania</em> has been identified as an antigenic structure for vaccine design and a promising target for new antileishmanial agents. In this study, immunoinformatics was used to design a full vaccine construct with the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) and helper T-lymphocyte (HTL) epitopes of gp63 from Old and New World <em>Leishmania</em> spp. The vaccine construct comprising of these epitopes, with suitable adjuvant and linker sequences, was found to be thermostable, highly antigenic and non-allergenic. A total of 13 linear B-cell epitopes, and 12 continuous and four discontinuous B-cell epitopes, were further identified using the BepiPred and ElliPro prediction programs, respectively. In addition, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation studies were performed to identify new antileishmanial molecules with the potential to target gp63. Nareline - a phytomolecule from the antileishmanial plant <em>Alstonia scholaris</em> - showed the best predictive binding affinity for gp63, forming stable interactions with key residues in the active site of this protein. This study highlights the promising role of gp63 in the search for new vaccines and therapeutic agents to combat leishmaniasis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":"277 ","pages":"Article 109009"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145000028","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Formulation and testing of different infused attractive sugar baits (ASBs) in sodium alginate against laboratory strain Aedes aegypti","authors":"Ranjitha Sambanthan ,&nbsp;Nur Faeza Abu Kassim ,&nbsp;Sara A. Abuelmaali ,&nbsp;Wan Maryam Wan Ahmad Kamil ,&nbsp;Sumiyyah Sabar ,&nbsp;Kamarul Zaman Zarkasi ,&nbsp;Wan Rosli Wan Ishak ,&nbsp;Cameron E. Webb","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109026","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109026","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sugar-feeding is essential to mosquitoes with both sexes that often interacting with flowering plants to acquire sugar. Alginate Sugar Baits are made up of sodium alginate (ALG) which is a safe, natural, and biodegradable polymer. The Alginate Sugar Baits are infused with sugar variants making them Attractive Sugar Baits (ASBs) as a means of providing long-term efficacy to enhance mosquito attraction. However, fundamental gaps in understanding the characteristics of ASBs and the attraction of mosquitoes towards it limits the efficacy of utilizing such bait technology. Testing of non-choice and choice assay of different group of ASBs towards <em>Aedes aegypti</em> to demonstrate the effectiveness of ASBs as a potential baiting tool was performed using 30 % v/v of mango, 25 % v/v of <em>Chrysanthemum</em>, 30 % v/v of mix and sucrose ASBs. These formulations assessed using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM), Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), Ultraviolet–Visible-Near Infrared Spectroscopy (UV–VIS–NIR), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis. Results indicated that the 30 % mango ASB achieved the highest mosquito attraction, with a mean attraction of (34.17 ± 7.94), optimal reflectance (8 %) and absorbance (3.1 units). These ASBs are recommended as highly promising candidates as an alternative for repellent insecticides, serving as baiting tools for mosquito attraction.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":"277 ","pages":"Article 109026"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145074808","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ultrastructural characterization and pathogenicity of Allovohlkamfia spelaea in a murine model: Neuropulmonary infections and therapeutic potential of ellagic acid","authors":"Enas A.M. Huseein ,&nbsp;Fatma A.S. Anwar ,&nbsp;Gamal H. Abed ,&nbsp;Hossam El-Din M. Omar ,&nbsp;Tasneem M. Hassan ,&nbsp;Haiam M.M. Farrag ,&nbsp;Sary Kh Abdel-Gahfar ,&nbsp;Mahmoud Soliman ,&nbsp;Alzahraa Abdelraouf Ahmad","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109008","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109008","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div><em>Allovahlkampfia spelaea (A. spelaea)</em> is a free-living amoeba that has recently been recognized to cause <em>Acanthamoeba</em>-like keratitis, the treatment of which is complex. The pathogenic potential of <em>Allovahlkampfia</em> spp. remains unexplored. This study characterized <em>A. spelaea</em> through ultrastructural morphological analysis and investigated the pathogenic potential of the <em>A. spelaea</em> strain KS1, which was isolated from a patient with keratitis, in a murine model, with a focus on neuro-pulmonary infections. Additionally, this study assessed the therapeutic effectiveness of ellagic acid (EA) against tissue damage caused by amoebic infections.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Immunosuppressed male Wister rats were intranasally inoculated with <em>A. spelaea</em> trophozoites (1 × 10⁶/ml) and divided into control, infected untreated, and infected treated (50 mg/kg EA daily) groups. Histopathological and ultrastructural analyses of brain and lung tissues were conducted by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Additionally, the therapeutic effects of EA were assessed via comparative tissue pathology.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div><em>A. spelaea</em> infection induced <em>A. spelaea</em>-induced neural lesions resembling granulomatous amoebic encephalitis (GAE) in the brain, which was characterized by gliosis, vasculitis, and necrosis, in addition to severe pulmonary damage, including suppurative bronchopneumonia and abscesses. Trophozoites presented with pseudopodia, acanthopodia, and amoebostomes, whereas cysts presented with double-layered walls. EA-treated rats presented nearly normal brain and lung histology, with reduced inflammation and gliosis, highlighting the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of EA.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study highlights the neurotropic and pulmonary pathogenicity of <em>A. spelaea</em>, with ultrastructures parallel to those of <em>Vahlkampfia</em> spp. and <em>Acanthamoeba</em> spp. Ellagic acid significantly reduces infection-induced damage, underscoring its potential as a therapeutic agent for infections caused by free-living amoebae.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":"277 ","pages":"Article 109008"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145000084","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Olive oil and linoleic acid as potential acaricidal agents against Psoroptes cuniculi mites","authors":"Montañez-Palma Lilia Francisca ,&nbsp;Hallal-Calleros Claudia ,&nbsp;Castañeda-Ramírez Gloria Sarahí ,&nbsp;Hernández-Núñez Emanuel ,&nbsp;Wong -Villarreal Arnoldo ,&nbsp;Aguilar-Marcelino Liliana ,&nbsp;Flores-Pérez Fernando Iván","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109025","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109025","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Psoroptes cuniculi</em> mite is an important ectoparasite in rabbit breeding. Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is a vegetable oil with anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties, and linoleic acid (LA) also has beneficial properties for health. The activity against <em>P. cuniculi</em> mites of EVOO was evaluated at concentrations of 1, 5, 10, 30, 60 and 100 %; LA was evaluated at 50, 100, 150, 200, 300 and 400 mg/mL. The effectiveness was evaluated by the immersion technique using 11 mites and four replicates, and post-treatment mortality was analyzed after 24 and 48 h. Also, the composition of EVOO was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry; seven compounds were identified, with the major compounds being: 1) oleic acid (47.4 %), 2) glycidol oleate (34.2 %), 3) linoleic acid (7.0 %). Pure EVOO caused a mortality of 74.4 % after 24 h and 100 % after 48 h of treatment. LA caused 94.6 % and 98.4 % of mortality at 24 and 48 h, respectively, at a concentration of 400 mg/mL. Based on the results of the current investigation, EVOO and LA are proposed as potential effective treatments for the control of <em>P. cuniculi</em> mites.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":"277 ","pages":"Article 109025"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145039455","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"β-sitosterol: A novel molluscicidal agent from Liagora farinosa against Biomphalaria alexandrina snails with computational insights into its interaction with the retinoid X Receptor","authors":"Heba Abdel-Tawab ,&nbsp;Shrouk E. Al-Sayed ,&nbsp;Khaled N.M. Elsayed ,&nbsp;Chuanyi Wang ,&nbsp;Ebtesam Al-olayan ,&nbsp;Enas I.A. Mohamed ,&nbsp;Amina M. Ibrahim ,&nbsp;Almahy M. El-Mallah","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109023","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exppara.2025.109023","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Schistosomiasis is a tropical parasitic disease that presents significant public health concerns, occurring in both acute and chronic forms. In Egypt, the freshwater snail <em>Biomphalaria alexandrina</em> is the intermediate host of <em>Schistosoma mansoni</em>. This study evaluated the molluscicidal potential of β-sitosterol, isolated from the marine red alga <em>Liagora farinosa</em>, along with its methanolic extract, against <em>B. alexandrina</em>. Bioassay results demonstrated potent molluscicidal activity, with the methanolic extract exhibiting LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values of 187.5 mg/L and 231.8 mg/L, respectively, and β-sitosterol showing enhanced potency with LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ values of 36.1 mg/L and 41.7 mg/L after 48 h of exposure. Sublethal concentrations of β-sitosterol significantly reduced snail survival and reproductive rates. Biochemical analyses revealed a marked decrease in total antioxidant capacity and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, accompanied by increased levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and reduced glutathione (GSH), indicating oxidative stress. Histopathological examination of treated snails showed extensive damage in the digestive and hermaphrodite glands, including vacuolation, cellular rupture, and degeneration of reproductive cells. Ultrastructural alterations such as nuclear disintegration, cytoplasmic vacuolation, residual body accumulation, and microvilli loss were also observed. Computational studies suggested retinoid X receptor to be a plausible target for β-sitosterol in its molluscicidal activity. These findings highlight the potential of <em>L. farinosa</em> extracts and β-sitosterol as bioactive agents for <em>Schistosoma mansoni</em> intermediate host. However, further research is required to assess their impact on non-target aquatic organisms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":"277 ","pages":"Article 109023"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145039496","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}