In vivo therapeutic efficacy of the Allium sativum ME in experimentally Echinococcus granulosus infected mice

•E. granulosus infected mice treated with A. sativum methanol extracts (ME) at 40 and 80 mL/L evoked high efficacy on treatment of hydatid cysts in the murine model.•The best therapeutic findings based on the total number of cysts and SEM finding were obtained following the administration of A. sativum ME at 80 mL/L.•The hepatic variables (ALT, ALP and bilirubin) revealed less liver damage in A. sativum ME groups than in control groups. Plant-based anthelmintics suggest an alternative treatment for cystic echinococcosis. The present study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of methanolic extract (ME) of A. sativum (garlic) on the treatment of hydatid cysts in the murine model. After gas chromatography and mass spectrometry of prepared ME, sixty laboratory BALB/c mice were infected intraperitoneally by injection of 1500 viable protoscoleces. Five months after infection, the infected mice were allocated into six treatment groups, 1- Albendazole (100 mg/kg); 2- Allium sativum ME (10 mL/L); 3- A. sativum ME (20 mL/L); 4- A. sativum ME (40 mL/L); 5- A. sativum ME (80 mL/L) and 6- untreated control group. After 30 days of daily treatment, the total number of cysts, size and weight of the largest cyst were significantly lower in three treated groups including A. sativum ME 80 mL/L, A. sativum ME 40 mL /L and albendazole in comparison to those of the control group (p