Antiparasitic efficacy of geraniol from Apiaceae family in scabies treatment

Abstract 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...

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Main Authors: Iman S. A. Khallaf, Lourin G. Malak, Soad A. L. Bayoumi, Salwa F. Farag, Ahmed M. Sayed, Sara A. Mohamed, Asmaa A. E. Nasr, Radwa Y. Ibrahim, Eman Maher Zahran, Gerhard Bringmann, Usama Ramadan Abdelmohsen
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Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-05-01
Series:Scientific Reports
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-97702-z
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author Iman S. A. Khallaf
Lourin G. Malak
Soad A. L. Bayoumi
Salwa F. Farag
Ahmed M. Sayed
Sara A. Mohamed
Asmaa A. E. Nasr
Radwa Y. Ibrahim
Eman Maher Zahran
Gerhard Bringmann
Usama Ramadan Abdelmohsen
author_facet Iman S. A. Khallaf
Lourin G. Malak
Soad A. L. Bayoumi
Salwa F. Farag
Ahmed M. Sayed
Sara A. Mohamed
Asmaa A. E. Nasr
Radwa Y. Ibrahim
Eman Maher Zahran
Gerhard Bringmann
Usama Ramadan Abdelmohsen
author_sort Iman S. A. Khallaf
collection DOAJ
description Abstract 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 (LT50 = 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.
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spelling doaj-art-2aefbffb74b84ee5ab19c0b94f527e4e2025-08-20T01:51:27ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-05-0115111610.1038/s41598-025-97702-zAntiparasitic efficacy of geraniol from Apiaceae family in scabies treatmentIman S. A. Khallaf0Lourin G. Malak1Soad A. L. Bayoumi2Salwa F. Farag3Ahmed M. Sayed4Sara A. Mohamed5Asmaa A. E. Nasr6Radwa Y. Ibrahim7Eman Maher Zahran8Gerhard Bringmann9Usama Ramadan Abdelmohsen10Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Menoufia UniversityPharmacognosy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut UniversityPharmacognosy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut UniversityPharmacognosy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut UniversityDepartment of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Almaaqal UniversityDepartment of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assiut UniversityDepartment of Poultry Diseases, Animal Health Research Institute, Assiut Regional Laboratory, Agricultural Research Center (ARC)Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut UniversityDepartment of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Deraya UniversityInstitute of Organic Chemistry, University of WürzburgDepartment of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Deraya UniversityAbstract 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 (LT50 = 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.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-97702-zAcaricidal activityAcetylcholinesteraseApiaceaeGeraniolIn silico analysis
spellingShingle Iman S. A. Khallaf
Lourin G. Malak
Soad A. L. Bayoumi
Salwa F. Farag
Ahmed M. Sayed
Sara A. Mohamed
Asmaa A. E. Nasr
Radwa Y. Ibrahim
Eman Maher Zahran
Gerhard Bringmann
Usama Ramadan Abdelmohsen
Antiparasitic efficacy of geraniol from Apiaceae family in scabies treatment
Scientific Reports
Acaricidal activity
Acetylcholinesterase
Apiaceae
Geraniol
In silico analysis
title Antiparasitic efficacy of geraniol from Apiaceae family in scabies treatment
title_full Antiparasitic efficacy of geraniol from Apiaceae family in scabies treatment
title_fullStr Antiparasitic efficacy of geraniol from Apiaceae family in scabies treatment
title_full_unstemmed Antiparasitic efficacy of geraniol from Apiaceae family in scabies treatment
title_short Antiparasitic efficacy of geraniol from Apiaceae family in scabies treatment
title_sort antiparasitic efficacy of geraniol from apiaceae family in scabies treatment
topic Acaricidal activity
Acetylcholinesterase
Apiaceae
Geraniol
In silico analysis
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-97702-z
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