Antifilarial Potential Research Articles

Invitro antifilarial potential of the leaf extract of Oscimum sanctum on cattle filarial parasite Setaria cervi

The effect of aqueous and alcoholic extract of the leaves of Ocimum. sanctum was studied on the spontaneous movements of the whole worm (w.w) preparation and nerve muscle (n.m.) complex of Setaria cervi (S. cervi) and on the survival of microfilariae (m.f.) in vitro. Both the extracts caused inhibition of the spontaneous motility of the w.w. and n.m. complex of S. cervi characterized by initial stimulation followed by reversible paralysis, aqueous extract at a higher concentration showed immediate effect and irreversible paralysis. The concentration required to inhibit the movements of n.m. complex was for aqueous and for alcoholic extract compared to that for the w.w., suggesting a cuticular permeability barrier. On the m.f. the lethal concentration (LC 50 and LC 90) were 35 and 50 ng/ml for aqueous whereas, 60 and 85 ng/ml for alcoholic extracts respectively.

Exploration of antifilarial potential and possible mechanism of action of the root extracts of Saxifraga stracheyion on cattle filarial parasite Setaria cervi.

The effect of aqueous and alcohol extracts of the roots of Saxifraga stracheyi Engl. On the spontaneous movements of both the whole worm and the nerve muscle preparation of Setaria cervi and on the survival of microfilariae in vitro was studied. Both extracts caused the inhibition of spontaneous movements of the whole worm and the nerve-muscle preparation of S. cervi, characterized by an increase in the amplitude and a decrease in the rate of contractions, while the tone of the contractions remained visibly unaffected. The concentration required to inhibit the movements of the whole worm preparation was 140 microg/ml for the aqueous and 250 microg/ml for the alcohol extract. The concentration of S. stracheyi extracts required to produce an equivalent effect on the nerve-muscle preparation was 30 microg/ml for aqueous, and 20 microg/ml for the alcohol extract, suggesting a cuticular permeability barrier.