The medical-veterinary importance of ticks has long been recognized and studies on the internal morphology and histology of the organs and systems in these ectoparasites have been considered of great relevance. The tick Riphicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (s.l.) is particularly important, considering its proximity to the human being. The present study investigated that how ricinoleic acid esters from castor oil interfere with the secretory cycle of the salivary glands in R. sanguineus s.l. females fed for a period of 1 to 6 days. To accomplish the objectives, females were fed on both, the rabbits fed with the food enriched in esters and on the rabbits fed with regular rabbit commercial food. The results showed that the salivary glands had changes in its secretory cycle, varying according to the considered acinus, leading to a precocious degeneration of the gland caused by the exposure of the hosts to the esters. Another important data obtained was that the esters did not interfere in the metabolism of the hosts (rabbits) and thus, the results signalize the perspective of a new strategy to effectively control these ectoparasites.
