Evaluation of albendazole and mebendazole-loaded polymeric nanoparticles efficacy against larval stages of the Echinococcus granulosus parasite in vitro and in vivo

This study assessed the effectiveness of albendazole and mebendazole-loaded polymeric nanoparticles against protoscoleces in vitro and hydatid cysts in vivo. The results showed that the lethal concentration 50% (LC50) of albendazole-loaded nanoparticles (ABZ-NP) and mebendazole-loaded nanoparticles (MBZ-NP) was 27.35 µg/ml and 141.1 µg/ml, respectively, compared to albendazole (ABZ) and mebendazole (MBZ) alone, which exhibited LC50 values 105.5 µg/ml and 265.1 µg/ml, respectively. In contrast, drug-unloaded polymeric nanoparticles (empty nanoparticles) did not exhibit a significant anti-protoscoleces (protoscolicidal) effect in vitro depending to the control positive group. The in vivo trials revealed a decrease in the quantity, size, and mass of hydatid cysts in infected mice treated with albendazole- and mebendazole-loaded nanoparticles, in contrast to those treated with unloaded nanoparticles.