Abstract
BackgroundThe negative impact of synthetic molluscicides on the environment and their high cost necessitated search for an alternative approach of using plant extracts for the control of schistosomiasis. The objective of this study was, therefore, to evaluate aqueous and ethyl acetate crude extracts of Glinus lotoides fruits for their cercariacidal activity and molluscicidal effect against schistosome snail intermediate hosts.MethodsAssessment of the molluscicidal activity against Biomphalaria pfeifferi was made by immersion method in accordance with WHO guideline. The results of mortality were statistically analyzed using probit analysis. The attenuating effect of the plant on Schistosoma mansoni cercariae was determined using establishment of adult worms as a parasitological parameter post exposure.ResultsThe 24 and 48 hour-LC50 values for the aqueous extract of G. lotoides fruits were 47.1 and 44.1 mg/L, respectively, whereas that of ethyl acetate were 66.1 and 59.6 mg/L, respectively. The 24 and 48 hour LC90 values for the aqueous extract of G. lotoides fruits were 56.96 and 51.0 mg/L, respectively, while that of ethyl acetate were 77.2 and 70.0 mg/L, respectively. The in vitro cercariacidal activity was determined after 2 hrs of exposure to the aqueous plant extract. It was found out that the LC50 and LC90 values were 18.7 and 41.7 mg/L, respectively. Besides, infectivity of Schistosoma mansoni cercariae to mice was determined by exposing mice to cercariae pre-treated with the sub-lethal concentrations (3.7, 11.6 and 18.7 mg/L) of the aqueous extract. A significant reduction in worm burden in mice was obtained at 11.6 mg/L (p < 0.05). Moreover, the reduction in number of worms recovered was highly significant at 18.7 mg/L (p < 0.001).ConclusionsThe results showed that G. lotoides has molluscicidal activity against B. pfeifferi snails and cercariacidal activity against S. mansoni. Yet, further comprehensive evaluation is recommended for the possible use of G. lotoides against B. pfeifferi and the schistosome parasite.
Highlights
The negative impact of synthetic molluscicides on the environment and their high cost necessitated search for an alternative approach of using plant extracts for the control of schistosomiasis
In vitro cercariacidal activity test for the aqueous extract of G. lotoides fruits showed that the plant possessed cercariacidal activity against S. mansoni cercariae
The LC50 and LC90 values were determined after 2 hours exposure to the plant extract (Table 2)
Summary
The negative impact of synthetic molluscicides on the environment and their high cost necessitated search for an alternative approach of using plant extracts for the control of schistosomiasis. The objective of this study was, to evaluate aqueous and ethyl acetate crude extracts of Glinus lotoides fruits for their cercariacidal activity and molluscicidal effect against schistosome snail intermediate hosts. People get infected by having contact with freshwater that harbors free-swimming larval forms of the parasite shed from freshwater snail intermediate hosts [1,2]. About 200 million people are infected with schistosomes and about 600 million are at risk [3]. Schistosome infection is the second parasitic infection after malaria as a cause of morbidity and mortality [4,5]. It is estimated that four million people are affected by schistosomiasis and 29.89 million people are placed at risk of infection [7]
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