Abstract: 　Objective To evaluate the effect of albendazole immunoliposome (IL-Alb) against Echinococcus granulosus. Methods Mice infected with protoscolices of E.granulosus were divided into five groups. Four groups were treated with albendazole (Alb), albendazole liposome (L-Alb), albendazole sulfoxide liposome (L-Albso), and IL-Alb respectively at a dosage of 100 mg (Alb)/(kg·d)×5 d for 3 courses. The fifth group was established as control. The major criteria for evaluating the effects included a reduction rate of E.granulosus tissue wet weight, histopathological examination of the cysts by both light microscopy and electron-microscopy, and the content of albendazole-sulfoxide in cysts detected by HPLC. Results The efficacy of albendazole immunoliposome was significantly higher than that of albendazole liposome, and much higher than that of albendazole. The reduction rates of cyst tissue weight of IL-Alb group, L-Alb group and Alb group were 91.5%, 80.3%, 61.2% respectively as compared to control group; the concentration of Albso in cyst tissue of the above groups were 5.15 μg/g, 2.18 μg/g, 0.76 μg/g respectively (P<0.01). The histopathological damages of cysts were also found most severely in the group of IL-Alb. \{Conclusion\} Immunoliposome as a targeting carrier may significantly strengthen the therapeutic effect of albendazole on echinococcosis granulosus.

Key words: immunoliposome, liposome, albendazole, echinococcosis granulosus, therapy