چکیده (انگلیسی):

Objective: To study in vitro anti-hydatic and immunomodulatory effects of ginger and
[6]-gingerol as an alternative therapy for cystic echinococcosis.
Methods: Effect of a commonly used herbal product and ginger (Zingiber officinale)
towards protoscoleces (PSC) and cyst wall in vitro was studied. The effect of [6]-
gingerol, and the pungent constituent of ginger, was also evaluated on PSC culture.
Furthermore, the activity of both extracts in association with interferon-gamma (IFN-g)
on PSC co-cultured with mononuclear cells of hydatic patients was evaluated. The nitric
oxide (NO) production was measured in each co-culture.
Results: Ginger exhibited a concentration- and time-dependent cytotoxic effect against
PSC and cyst wall. Interestingly, ginger was more effective than the [6]-gingerol.
Moreover, additional parasitic effect between extracts and IFN-g are also observed in
co-cultures. Furthermore, both extracts attenuated the NO production elicited by this
infection or by the IFN-g.
Conclusions: Ginger has an important anti-hydatic effect in vitro. This effect is ampli-
fied in the presence of IFN-g. Moreover, this herbal product may protect against host's
cell death by reducing the high levels of NO. Ginger may act, at least, through the [6]-
gingerol. All our data suggest the promising use of ginger in the treatment of Echinococcus
granulosus infection.