LAUSR

Schistosomiasis is one of the neglected tropical diseases. It is a snail-borne trematode infection, and Biomphalaria alexandrina snails are the intermediate host of Schistosoma mansoni in Egypt. The objective of this study is to evaluate the molluscicidal activity of the aqueous seed extract of Moringa oleifera against B. alexandrina snails. The results showed that this aqueous extract was lethal for B. alexandrina snails (LC50 0.27 g/l; LC90 0.41 g/l). Exposure of snails to the sublethal concentrations of this aqueous extract caused a considerable reduction in survival rates and hatchability rates of eggs of these snails. Moreover, it negatively affected some biochemical aspects, where it increased the levels of transaminases (ALT and AST), while it decreased the concentrations of total protein, albumin, and globulin concentration. Histological examinations of the digestive gland of snails exposed to the sublethal concentrations of aqueous seed extract of M. oleifera revealed severe damage in the digestive cells, where they lost their tips and some were degenerated, while the secretory cells increased in number. Regarding the hermaphrodite gland, there were losses of connective tissues and irregular sperms, and the eggs were degenerated. These findings prove the potent activity of aqueous seed extract of M. oleifera against the intermediate hosts of Schistosoma mansoni and provide a considerable scope in exploiting local indigenous resources for snails’ molluscicidal agents.