There is renewed interest in natural products as a starting point for discovery of drugs for schistosomiasis. Recent studies have shown that phytol reveals interesting in vivo and in vitro antischistosomal properties against Schistosoma mansoni adult worms. Here, we reported the in vitro antischistosomal activity of phytol against Schistosoma haematobium juvenile and adult stages and examined alterations on the tegumental surface of worms by means of scanning electron microscopy. The assay, which was carried out with six concentrations (25, 50, 75,100,125 and 150 μg/mL) of phytol, has shown promising activity in a dose and time dependent manner. Their was a significant decline in the motility of the worms and a mortality rate of 100% 48h after they had been exposed to phytol in the concentration of 150 μg/mL. Male worms were more susceptible. On the ultrastructural level, phytol also induced tegumental peeling, disintegration of tubercles and spines in addition to morphological disfiguring of the oral and ventral suckers. This report provides the first evidence that phytol is able to kill Schistosoma haematobium of different ages, and emphasizes that it is a promising natural product that could be used for the development of a new schistosomicidal agent. |
