{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,26]],"date-time":"2026-10-26T01:16:09Z","timestamp":1792977369179,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":40,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"6","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,9]],"date-time":"2023-06-09T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1686268800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["TropicalMed"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Echinococcosis, or hydatidosis, is one of the most important zoonotic diseases, which is initiated by the larval stage in the clasts of Echinococcus granulosus. For the treatment of hydatidosis, surgery is still the preferred method and the first line of treatment for symptomatic patients. Unfortunately, most of the scolicidal agents that are injected inside cysts during hydatid cyst surgery have side effects, including leaking out of the cyst and adverse effects on the living tissue of the host, such as necrosis of liver cells, which limits their use. This work was carried out to study the lethal effect of green synthesized gold nanoparticles (Au-NCs) against hydatid cyst protoscoleces. Au-NCs were green synthesized using the Saturja\u00a0khuzestanica extract. Au-NCs were characterized by UV-visible absorbance assay, electron microscopy analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Scolicidal properties of Au-NCs (1\u20135 mg\/mL) were studied against protoscoleces for 10\u201360 min. The effect of Au-NCs on the expression level of the caspase-3 gene as well as the ultrastructural examination was studied by real-time PCR and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The cytotoxicity of Au-NCs on hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) and normal embryonic kidney (HEK293) cell lines was also studied by the cell viability assay. The obtained Au-NCs are cubes and have an average size of 20\u201330 nm. The highest scolicidal efficacy was observed at 5 mg\/mL with 100% mortality after 20 min of treatment for hydatid cyst protoscoleces. In ex vivo, Au-NCs required more incubation time, indicating more protoscolicidal effects. Au-NCs markedly upregulated the gene level of caspase-3 in protoscoleces; whereas they changed the ultra-structure of protoscoleces by weakening and disintegrating the cell wall, wrinkles, and protrusions due to the formation of blebs. We showed the effective in vitro and ex vivo scolicidal effects of Au-NCs against hydatid cyst protoscoleces by provoking the apoptosis process of caspase-3 activation and changing the ultrastructure of protoscoleces with no significant cytotoxicity against human normal cells. However, additional studies should be conducted to determine the possible harmful side effects and accurate efficacy.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/tropicalmed8060313","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,9]],"date-time":"2023-06-09T02:59:57Z","timestamp":1686279597000},"page":"313","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":13,"title":["Green Synthesis, Characterization, and Antiparasitic Effects of Gold Nanoparticles against Echinococcus granulosus Protoscoleces"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"8","author":[{"given":"Yosra","family":"Raziani","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Nursing Department, Al-Mustaqbal University College, Hillah 51001, Babylon, Iraq"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Pegah","family":"Shakib","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Razi Herbal Medicines Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad 6718773654, Iran"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Marzieh","family":"Rashidipour","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Razi Herbal Medicines Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad 6718773654, Iran"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Koroush","family":"Cheraghipour","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Razi Herbal Medicines Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad 6718773654, Iran"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Javad","family":"Ghasemian Yadegari","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Food and Drug Deputy, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad 6718773654, Iran"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hossein","family":"Mahmoudvand","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Molecular and Cellular Laboratory, School of Allied Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad 6718773654, Iran"},{"name":"Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad 6718773654, Iran"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,9]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"655","DOI":"10.1517\/14712598.3.4.655","article-title":"Nanotechnology and medicine","volume":"3","author":"Emerich","year":"2003","journal-title":"Expert Opin. Biol. Ther."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1007\/s10876-020-01955-9","article-title":"Biomedical Applications of Functionalized Gold Nanoparticles: A Review","volume":"33","author":"Nejati","year":"2021","journal-title":"J. Clust. Sci."},{"key":"ref_3","first-page":"2502","article-title":"A review on nanoparticles: Their synthesis and types","volume":"2277","author":"Hasan","year":"2015","journal-title":"Res. J. Recent Sci."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Roy, A., Kunwar, S., Bhusal, U., Alghamdi, S., Almehmadi, M., Alhuthali, H.M., Allahyani, M., Hossain, J., Hasan, A., and Sarker, M.R. (2023). Bio-Fabrication of Trimetallic Nanoparticles and Their Applications. Catalysts, 13.","DOI":"10.3390\/catal13020321"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1143614","DOI":"10.3389\/fchem.2023.1143614","article-title":"Green synthesis of MgO nanoparticles and its antibacterial properties","volume":"11","author":"Rotti","year":"2023","journal-title":"Front. Chem."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"844","DOI":"10.1080\/21691401.2019.1577878","article-title":"Advances in green synthesis of nanoparticles","volume":"47","author":"Gour","year":"2019","journal-title":"Artif. Cells Nanomed. Biotechnol."},{"key":"ref_7","first-page":"8","article-title":"Green synthesis of gold nanoparticles using plant extract: Mini-review","volume":"2","author":"Hadi","year":"2017","journal-title":"Nanochem. Res."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"125","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijid.2008.03.037","article-title":"Echinococcosis: A review","volume":"13","author":"Moro","year":"2009","journal-title":"Int. J. Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/bs.apar.2016.07.003","article-title":"Historical Aspects of Echinococcosis","volume":"95","author":"Eckert","year":"2017","journal-title":"Adv. Parasitol."},{"key":"ref_10","first-page":"253","article-title":"Drug Discovery and Development for the Treatment of Echinococcosis, Caused by the Tapeworms Echinococcus granulosus and Echinococcus multilocularis","volume":"7","author":"Hemphill","year":"2019","journal-title":"Negl. Trop. Dis. Drug Discov. Dev."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"652","DOI":"10.4103\/pm.pm_280_16","article-title":"In vitro protoscolicidal effects of Cinnamomum zeylanicum essential oil and its toxicity in mice","volume":"13","author":"Mahmoudvand","year":"2017","journal-title":"Pharmacog. Mag."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Stojkovic, M., Zwahlen, M., Teggi, A., Vutova, K., Cretu, C.M., Virdone, R., Nicolaidou, P., Cobanoglu, N., and Junghanss, T. (2009). Treatment response of cystic echinococcosis to benzimidazoles: A systematic review. PLoS Negl. Trop Dis., 3.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pntd.0000524"},{"key":"ref_13","first-page":"1","article-title":"Medical treatment of cystic echinococcosis: Systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"18","author":"Burguillo","year":"2018","journal-title":"BMC Infect. Dis."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"301","DOI":"10.4269\/ajtmh.2008.79.301","article-title":"Clinical Management of Cystic Echinococcosis: State of the Art, Problems, and Perspectives","volume":"79","author":"Junghanss","year":"2008","journal-title":"Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1744-1633.2008.00427.x","article-title":"Fatal reactions and methaemoglobinaemia after silver nitrate irrigation of hydatid cyst","volume":"13","author":"Rajabi","year":"2009","journal-title":"Surg. Pr."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Albalawi, A.E., Alanazi, A.D., Baharvand, P., Sepahvand, M., and Mahmoudvand, H. (2020). High Potency of Organic and Inorganic Nanoparticles to Treat Cystic Echinococcosis: An Evidence-Based Review. Nanomaterials, 10.","DOI":"10.3390\/nano10122538"},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"118","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jams.2016.04.003","article-title":"A Critical Overview on the Pharmacological and Clinical Aspects of Popular Satureja Species","volume":"9","author":"Jafari","year":"2016","journal-title":"J. Acupunct. Meridian Stud."},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Sidorowicz, A., Margarita, V., Fais, G., Pantaleo, A., Manca, A., Concas, A., Rappelli, P., Fiori, P.L., and Cao, G. (2022). Characterization of nanomaterials synthesized from Spirulina platensis extract and their potential antifungal activity. PLoS ONE, 17.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0274753"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"624","DOI":"10.1039\/D2CY01395A","article-title":"Operando monitoring of a room temperature nanocomposite methanol sensor","volume":"13","author":"Maqbool","year":"2023","journal-title":"Catal. Sci. Technol."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"7","DOI":"10.1016\/j.amsu.2019.04.006","article-title":"In vitro and ex vivo scolicidal effects of Olea europaea L. to inactivate the protoscolecs during hydatid cyst surgery","volume":"42","author":"Niazi","year":"2019","journal-title":"Ann. Med. Surg."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/s12906-019-2527-3","article-title":"Efficacy and safety of Curcuma longa essential oil to inactivate hydatid cyst protoscoleces","volume":"19","author":"Mahmoudvand","year":"2019","journal-title":"BMC Complement. Altern. Med."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"64","DOI":"10.2174\/1574884714666190918155147","article-title":"Efficacy and Safety Curcuma zadoaria L. to Inactivate the Hydatid Cyst Protoscoleces","volume":"15","author":"Mahmoudvand","year":"2020","journal-title":"Curr. Clin. Pharmacol."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"103746","DOI":"10.1016\/j.amsu.2022.103746","article-title":"Effects of green synthesized zinc nanoparticles alone and along with albendazole against hydatid cyst protoscoleces","volume":"78","author":"Shakibaie","year":"2022","journal-title":"Ann. Med. Surg."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"111257","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biopha.2021.111257","article-title":"Copper nanoparticles: Biosynthesis, characterization, and protoscolicidal effects alone and combined with albendazole against hydatid cyst protoscoleces","volume":"136","author":"Ezzatkhah","year":"2021","journal-title":"Biomed. Pharmacother."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"108456","DOI":"10.1016\/j.exppara.2022.108456","article-title":"Evaluation of scolicidal potential of salicylate coated zinc nanoparticles against Echinococcus granulosus protoscoleces","volume":"246","author":"Cheraghipour","year":"2023","journal-title":"Exp. Parasitol."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"111566","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biopha.2021.111566","article-title":"Fe3O4@piroctone olamine magnetic nanoparticles: Synthesize and therapeutic potential in cutaneous leishmaniasis","volume":"139","author":"Albalawi","year":"2021","journal-title":"Biomed. Pharmacother."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"133853","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclepro.2022.133853","article-title":"New waste-derived TiO2 nanoparticles as a potential photocatalytic additive for lime based indoor finishings","volume":"373","author":"Maqbool","year":"2022","journal-title":"J. Clean. Prod."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"73","DOI":"10.1016\/j.actatropica.2017.10.021","article-title":"Gold nanoparticles\u2013against parasites and insect vectors","volume":"178","author":"Benelli","year":"2018","journal-title":"Acta Trop."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"314","DOI":"10.5578\/turkjsurg.4354","article-title":"Investigating the effect of gold nanoparticles on hydatid cyst protoscolices under low-power green laser irradiation","volume":"35","author":"Aksoy","year":"2019","journal-title":"Turk. J. Surg."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5800","DOI":"10.1007\/s11356-016-8291-8","article-title":"Green chemical synthesis of gold nanoparticles by using Penicillium aculeatum and their scolicidal activity against hydatid cyst protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus","volume":"24","author":"Barabadi","year":"2017","journal-title":"Environ. Sci. Pollut. Res."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1634","DOI":"10.1002\/cmdc.201300276","article-title":"Metal-based compounds as prospective antileishmanial agents: Inhibition of trypanothione reductase by selected gold complexes","volume":"8","author":"Colotti","year":"2013","journal-title":"Chem. Med. Chem."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1576","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jinorgbio.2011.09.006","article-title":"Selected gold compounds cause pronounced inhibition of Falcipain 2 and effectively block P. falciparum growth in-vitro","volume":"105","author":"Micale","year":"2011","journal-title":"J. Inorg. Biochem."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1308","DOI":"10.1016\/j.chemosphere.2007.11.047","article-title":"Toxicity of nanosized and bulk ZnO, CuO and TiO2 to bacteria Vibrio fisceri and crustaceans Daphnia magna and Thamnocephalus platyurus","volume":"71","author":"Heinlaan","year":"2008","journal-title":"Chemosphere"},{"key":"ref_34","first-page":"75","article-title":"Induction of Apoptosis by Green Synthesized Gold Nanoparticles Through Activation of Caspase-3 and 9 in Human Cervical Cancer Cells","volume":"8","author":"Baharara","year":"2016","journal-title":"Avicenna J. Med. Biotechnol."},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4091","DOI":"10.2147\/IJN.S203222","article-title":"Apoptotic effect of green synthesized gold nanoparticles from Curcuma wenyujin extract against hsuman renal cell carcinoma A498 cells","volume":"14","author":"Liu","year":"2019","journal-title":"Int. J. Nanomed."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1186\/s12951-017-0308-z","article-title":"Metal nanoparticles: Understanding the mechanisms behind antibacterial activity","volume":"15","author":"Slavin","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Nanobiotechnol."},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1227","DOI":"10.2147\/IJN.S121956","article-title":"The antimicrobial activity of nanoparticles: Present situation and prospects for the future","volume":"12","author":"Wang","year":"2017","journal-title":"Int. J. Nanomed."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5164","DOI":"10.1021\/nn300934k","article-title":"Mechanism of photogenerated reactive oxygen species and correlation with the antibacterial properties of engineered metal-oxide nanoparticles","volume":"6","author":"Li","year":"2012","journal-title":"ACS Nano"},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1208","DOI":"10.1080\/14786419.2015.1046868","article-title":"Chemical composition, protoscolicidal effects and acute toxicity of Pistacia atlantica Desf. fruit extract","volume":"30","author":"Mahmoudvand","year":"2016","journal-title":"Nat. Prod. Res."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"242","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijbiomac.2022.02.173","article-title":"Synthesis and characterization of new functionalized chitosan and its antimicrobial and in-vitro release behavior from topical gel","volume":"207","author":"Mohamed","year":"2022","journal-title":"Int. J. Biol. Macromol."}],"container-title":["Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2414-6366\/8\/6\/313\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,10]],"date-time":"2025-10-10T19:51:26Z","timestamp":1760125886000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2414-6366\/8\/6\/313"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,9]]},"references-count":40,"journal-issue":{"issue":"6","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,6]]}},"alternative-id":["tropicalmed8060313"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/tropicalmed8060313","relation":{},"ISSN":["2414-6366"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2414-6366","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2023,6,9]]}}}