Khallaf Iman S A, Malak Lourin G, Bayoumi Soad A L, Farag Salwa F, Sayed Ahmed M, Mohamed Sara A, Nasr Asmaa A E, Ibrahim Radwa Y, Zahran Eman Maher, Bringmann Gerhard, Abdelmohsen Usama Ramadan
Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Menoufia University, Shibin Elkom, 32511, Egypt.
Pharmacognosy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut, 71526, Egypt.
Sci Rep. 2025 May 15;15(1):16928. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-97702-z.
Sarcoptic mange, commonly known as scabies, is a highly contagious skin condition caused by the burrowing mite Sarcoptes scabiei (Astigmata: Sarcoptinae). This parasitic disease significantly impacts livestock and human health, particularly in underserved regions. Current treatments rely on synthetic acaricides like permethrin and ivermectin, which suffer from limitations such as toxicity, resistance development, and environmental contamination. Essential oils from Apiaceae plants represent a promising natural alternative. This study reviewed 122 volatile constituents from Apiaceae plants and conducted comprehensive in silico analyses to identify potential antiparasitic agents. Geraniol emerged as a potent acaricidal candidate due to its strong binding affinity to acetylcholinesterase (AChE) (docking score: - 7.85 kcal/mol). In vitro testing revealed geraniol achieved a 100% mite mortality rate at concentrations as low as 6.25% within 15 min (LT = 9.5 min). In vivo studies using scabies-infected rabbits demonstrated that geraniol-treated animals exhibited complete clinical recovery by two weeks post-treatment, with disappearance of crusts, itching, and skin thickening. Histopathological examination showed near-complete skin regeneration with minimal inflammatory infiltrates, in contrast to control groups which exhibited severe lesions and active mite presence. Furthermore, geraniol-treated rabbits displayed new hair growth and improved general condition, with no observed adverse effects. These findings highlight geraniol's potential as a safe, effective, and eco-friendly treatment for scabies, offering a 100% improvement in clinical and histological recovery within two weeks. Further research should focus on optimizing delivery systems and evaluating its efficacy in human clinical trials.
疥螨病，俗称疥疮，是一种由掘穴螨疥螨（蜱螨亚纲：疥螨科）引起的高度传染性皮肤病。这种寄生虫病对牲畜和人类健康有重大影响，尤其是在服务不足的地区。目前的治疗方法依赖于合成杀螨剂，如氯菊酯和伊维菌素，但这些方法存在毒性、抗药性发展和环境污染等局限性。伞形科植物的精油是一种有前景的天然替代品。本研究回顾了伞形科植物的122种挥发性成分，并进行了全面的计算机模拟分析，以确定潜在的抗寄生虫剂。香叶醇因其与乙酰胆碱酯酶（AChE）的强结合亲和力（对接分数：-7.85千卡/摩尔）而成为一种有效的杀螨候选物。体外试验表明，香叶醇在浓度低至6.25%时，15分钟内可使螨虫死亡率达到100%（LT = 9.5分钟）。使用感染疥疮的兔子进行的体内研究表明，用香叶醇治疗的动物在治疗后两周内临床完全康复，结痂、瘙痒和皮肤增厚消失。组织病理学检查显示皮肤几乎完全再生，炎症浸润极少，而对照组则表现出严重病变和活跃的螨虫存在。此外，用香叶醇治疗的兔子有新毛发生长，整体状况改善，未观察到不良反应。这些发现突出了香叶醇作为一种安全、有效且环保的疥疮治疗方法的潜力，在两周内临床和组织学恢复率提高了100%。进一步的研究应集中在优化给药系统并评估其在人体临床试验中的疗效。
