In Vitro and In Vivo effect of Chia oil (Salvia hispanica L.) on Haplorchis taichui

Abstract

Haplorchis taichui is an intestinal heterophyid fluke that is pathogenic to humans. This parasite can mature in the
small intestine of birds and mammals. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of chia seed oil (Salvia
hispanica L.) on H. taichui in vitro and in vivo. The activity of adult H. taichui worms incubated in Tyrode’s solution
containing praziquantel (10µg/ml) or chia oil (1 or 10 mg/ml) for 1, 6, 12 and 24 hours was assessed by observation
under a stereo-microscope. Syrian hamsters infected with 200 H. taichui metacercariae were treated with 25mg/kgBW
praziquantel in a single dose or 100mg/kgBW chia oil for 3 days. The number of worms recovered from the small
intestine was determined and morphology was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). All the worms were
inactive and contracted after 1h exposure to 10 µg/ml praziquantel. Twenty percent of the worms were inactive after
exposure to 1 mg/ml of chia oil for 12 h and 100% of the worms were inactive after exposure to 10 mg/ml chia oil for
1 h. The average number of adult H. taichui worms recovered from the intestines of hamsters treated with chia oil was
60 ± 11.57 and SEM analysis showed time and concentration dependent blebbing, swelling and sloughing of the
tegument surface. There were no worms recovered from the hamsters treated with praziquantel. The blebbing and
sloughing results of chia oil on the H. taichui covering looked similar to those of praziquantel.