Determination and cellular tracking of direct and indirect actions of carvacrol and thymol as tick control strategy of Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Acari: Ixodidae)

Abstract

Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks are currently considered of great economic and health relevance, mainly because they have wide geographic distribution, also are vector of human and animal disease and are very difficult to control. Reports in the literature of resistant populations of R. sanguineus (as well as other species) to synthetic acaricides are often, dueto the the excessive use of it, as well as contaminates the environment affecting non-target organisms. So, becomes important the constant search for new substances wich can effectively control ticks and at the same time can be applied at low dosages and it mechanisms of action in ectoparasite can be know in detail. Two new plant derived substances: a) carvacrol e b) thymol worth mentioning in this respect because they have high efficiency even in low concentration of the active ingredient, however, it remains unclear the main mechanisms of action that cause the death of ectoparasites. Currently the use of tissueand cell culture for studing the mechanisms of action of these substances can provide results of great importance and can contribute significantly to the biology and ticks-host interaction knowledge. Thus this research project will have the aim to study the mode of action ofcarvacrol and thymol on the salivary glands of the tick R. sanguineus, running two tipes ofbioassays, the first submitting the tick as on organism, the second submitting the salivarygland in tissue culture. Both morphological techniques (confocal microscopy andultrastructure) and flow cytometry will be used for detection and tracking changes that mayoccur in the salivar glands cell routes, such as those related to the apoptotic pathway andhence the degeneration the whole organ. (AU)