In-vitro Anthelmintic Efficacy of Aqueous Extract of Scindapsus officinalis (Roxb.) Schott Fruits Against Haemonchus contortus of Small Ruminants

Abstract

Haemonchus contortus infection in small ruminants is one of the most important causes of reduced growth, mortality of young ones and decreased reproduction of adults. Non-availability of selective chemotherapeutic agents pose huge economic loss to marginal farmers worldwide. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to evaluate the in vitro anthelmintic efficacy of aqueous extract of Scindapsus officinalis (Roxb.) Schott fruit against H. contortus. Fruit extract shows high concentrations of phytochemical ingredients viz. total phenolic, flavonoid, tannin, non-tannin, crude protein contents and minerals like calcium, phosphorus, zinc and copper. The in vitro trial revealed that parasites were sluggish and movement was little at 6 h post exposure of 50 mg ml−1 and very sluggish with little movement at 1 h in 100 mg ml−1 concentration. The extract of S. officinalis shows complete mortality of H. contortus worms at the concentration of 100 mg ml−1 with 4 h post exposure. The mortality was recorded 50–60 % at 50 mg ml−1 concentration with 8 h post exposure. The median lethal concentration at 6 and 8 h were 89.60 mg ml−1 and 48.13 mg ml−1, respectively. Levamisole at concentration of 0.50 mg ml−1 caused 50 % mortality at 2 h post exposure and complete mortality at 4 h post exposure. The observations reveal that aqueous extract of S. officinalis fruits has high phytochemical ingredients and minerals, which may be responsible for the wormicidal effect on adult H. contortus worms of sheep and goats.