Effect of Lysimachia ramosa Wall. Ex Duby and Its n-Butanol Fraction on Glycogen Content and Some Energy Related Enzymes in the Cestode, Raillietina echinobothrida

Abstract

The current investigation aims to evaluate the effect of leaf extract of the anthelmintic medicinal plant Lysimachia ramosa and its n-butanol fraction on glycogen concentration and carbohydrate related metabolic enzymes viz. hexokinase (HK), phosphofructokinase, pyruvate kinase (PK), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), malate dehydrogenase (MDH), malic enzyme (ME) and fumarate reductase (FR) in the cestode Raillietina echinobothrida. Following exposure to crude leaf extract and n-butanol fraction at a dose of 6 mg/ml of phosphate buffered saline, glycogen concentration decreased by 26–51% post paralysis whereas in terms of carbohydrate related metabolic enzymes, highest inhibition was seen in case of MDH (66–75%) followed by FR (64–66%), PEPCK (54–64%), LDH (48–60%), ME (33–38%) and PK (27–36%). The decrease in the enzyme activities of HK, LDH and MDH were also demonstrated histochemically. The result indicates that the intrusion of the phytoconstituents in the function of enzymes of energy generating pathway of R. echinobothrida, perhaps dispossesses the parasite from energy production leading to paralysis.