# In Vitro Effects of Vanadate Erbium/Silver Oxide (ErVO4/AgO) and Vanadate Iron/Silver Oxide (FeVO4/AgO) Nanoparticles on the Adult of Fasciola hepatica

## TL;DR

This study tests how two types of nanoparticles affect liver fluke parasites in lab experiments, finding that one type is more effective at killing them.

## Contribution

The study introduces and evaluates novel vanadate-based nanoparticles as potential anthelmintic agents against Fasciola hepatica.

## Key findings

- FeVO4/AgO nanoparticles showed higher anthelmintic efficacy than ErVO4/AgO and triclabendazole.
- SEM analysis revealed significant tegument damage in F. hepatica after nanoparticle exposure.
- Mortality rates increased with higher concentrations and longer exposure times of the nanoparticles.

## Abstract

Fascioliasis is a common hepatic parasitic disease that is caused by Fasciola, resulting in significant economic losses by reducing production and consigning viscera in animals. Currently, there is little research regarding the impact of chemical compounds on the ultrastructure and motility of adult F. hepatica. The present study aims to assess the effect of Vanadate erbium/silver oxide (ErVO4/AgO) and Vanadate iron/silver oxide (FeVO4/AgO) nanoparticles against liver fluke F. hepatica, in vitro assay. Fasciola hepatica adult worms were collected from the livers and gallbladders of sheep and goats centrality of Iran. One hundred fresh worms were incubated with each nanoparticle concentration of 4.5–6 mg/mL FeVO4/AgO and ErVO4/AgO (test, groups) in comparison to triclabendazole 5–20 µg/mL (positive control) and RPMI media culture (negative control) after 12 and 24 hours of treatment. To ensure the reliability of the data, the tests on the sample were performed twice. The effectiveness of these compounds was evaluated by examining parasite movement, reaction to vital stain and changes in the tegument through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) using Fisher statistical tests and logistic regression. Analysis of variance was performed to compare Kaplan–Meier and Cox groups and models to analyse parasite survival. In addition, the anthelmintic efficacy was measured as the mortality rate based on the number of live and dead worms. The mortality ratios show that the anthelmintic activities of the compounds highly relied on time and concentration, as time and concentration increased, increasing the mortality rate. Lethal concentration 50 (LC50) of FeVO4/AgO and ErVO4/AgO are 4, 4.7 and 5 mg/mL at 24 h, respectively. FeVO4/AgO showed more lethal effects on F. hepatica than on ErVO4/AgO and triclabendazole. SEM analysis of treated F. hepatica by both nanoparticles at a concentration of 6 mg/mL showed that the tegument surface of fasciola is swollen in some parts, the pores on the tegument surface are completely visible, the sensory papillae are lost, the tegument is severely damaged and the prominent network structure and its vesicles have completely disappeared. F. hepatica is more susceptible to the lethal effects of FeVO4/AgO and ErVO4/AgO nanoparticles. The effectiveness of these compounds depends on the concentration and time of the drug's effect, in such a way that the effectiveness increases with the increase in concentration and time.