Significant Anthelmintic Effect Research Articles

A pharmacological investigation for therapeutic potential of Callistemon citrinus as an anthelmintic agent (Bottle-Brush Plant)

The growing resistance of parasitic helminths to standard anthelmintic medications has sparked increased interest in exploring alternative treatments, particularly those derived from herbal sources. This research focuses on the anthelmintic properties of selected herbal plants, assessing their ability to inhibit and eliminate parasitic worms. Standard extraction techniques were employed to prepare various plant extracts, which were then tested using both in vitro and in vivo assays to determine their effectiveness. The findings revealed that several plant extracts showed significant anthelmintic effects, comparable to those of conventional medications. Phytochemical analysis identified a high concentration of alkaloids, tannins, saponins, and flavonoids, which are thought to be the primary contributors to the observed activity. These results indicate that these herbal plants may serve as promising natural anthelmintic agents, providing a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic drugs. Further research is necessary to isolate and identify the specific bioactive compounds, clarify their mechanisms of action, and assess their safety and efficacy in clinical applications. This study highlights the potential of herbal medicine in developing novel anthelmintic treatments and encourages the integration of traditional knowledge with modern scientific research.

Citrus for wellness: Exploring the bioactive properties of Citrus medica fruit peel with emphasis on its anticancer, antioxidant, antimicrobial and anthelmintic properties

Citrus medica (Citron) is an underutilised plant consisting of various bioactive elements with numerous medicinal benefits. The present study aimed to evaluate the bioactive properties, including anthelmintic, antimicrobial, antioxidant and anticancer activities, of chloroform extract obtained from the of fruit peel of C. medica. The different types of phytochemicals present in the chloroform extract were analysed using GC-MS. The major components detected included n-hexadecanoic acid, octadecanoic acid, t-tetradecenal, 1-nonadecene etc. Anthelmintic study was conducted using Eisenia fetida as a test organism, revealing a significant anthelmintic effect in the C. medica fruit peel extract compared to the standard drug. Antimicrobial properties were assessed against five test bacterial and fungal strains. Antibacterial tests showed zones of inhibition ranging from 8 to 11 mm, while no prominent zones of inhibition were observed in antifungal tests. The DPPH assay demonstrated significant antioxidant properties of Citron fruit peel extract compared to the standard ascorbic acid. The Chloroform extract of citron fruit peel exhibited significant cytotoxic properties against FaDu (human hypopharyngeal tumour) cell line. The present study indicates the potential of the chloroform extract of C. medica fruit peel to be employed as an anthelmintic, antibacterial, antioxidant and anticancer agent. Hence, it emphasises the prominence that can be given to the dietary consumption of citrus fruit peel in various forms, such as dried peel, powder etc.

The feeding of heather (Calluna vulgaris) to Teladorsagia circumcincta infected lambs reduces parasitism but can detrimentally impact performance

Gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infections impact small ruminant health, welfare, and production across farming systems. Rising anthelmintic resistance and regulation of synthetic drug use in organic farming is driving research and development of sustainable alternatives for GIN control. One alternative is the feeding of plants that contain secondary metabolites (PSMs) e.g., proanthocyanidins (PA, syn. condensed tannins) that have shown anthelmintic potential. However, PSMs can potentially impair performance, arising from reduced palatability and thus intake, digestibility or even toxicity effects. In this study, we tested the trade-off between the antiparasitic and anti-nutritional effects of heather consumption by lambs. The impact of additional feeding of a nematophagous fungus (Duddingtonia flagrans) on larval development was also explored. Lambs infected with Teladorsagia circumcincta or uninfected controls, were offered ad libitum heather, or a control chopped hay for 22 days during the infection patent period. Eight days into the patent period, parasitised lambs were supplemented (or remained unsupplemented) with D. flagrans for a 5-day period. Performance and infection metrics were recorded, and polyphenol levels in the heather and control hay were measured to investigate their association with activity.The lambs consumed heather at approximately 20% of their dry matter intake, which was sufficient to exhibit significant anthelmintic effects via a reduction in total egg output (P = 0.007), compared to hay-fed lambs; the magnitude of the reduction over time in heather fed lambs was almost 10-fold compared to control lambs. Negative effects on production were shown, as heather-fed lambs weighed 6% less than hay-fed lambs (P < 0.001), even though dry matter intake (DMI) of heather increased over time. D. flagrans supplementation lowered larval recovery in the faeces of infected lambs by 31.8% (P = 0.003), although no interactions between feeding heather and D. flagrans were observed (P = 0.337). There was no significant correlation between PA, or other polyphenol subgroups in the diet and egg output, which suggests that any association between heather feeding and anthelmintic effect is not simply and directly attributable to the measured polyphenols. The level of heather intake in this study showed no antagonistic effects on D. flagrans, demonstrating the methods can be used in combination, but provide no additive effect on overall anthelmintic efficacies. In conclusion, heather feeding can assist to reduce egg outputs in infected sheep, but at 20% of DMI negative effects on lamb performance can be expected which may outweigh any antiparasitic benefits.

Reproductive and Biochemical Toxicity of Biobased Silver Nanoparticles against Toxocara vitulorum

Background: Toxocara vitulorum is a common parasitic worm of buffalo and cattle, causing livestock mortality and morbidity worldwide. Several countries suffered substantial eco-nomic losses due to animal death and reduced meat and milk production. Therefore, it became nec-essary to discover a new alternative drug, especially with the emerging resistance to current medica-tions. The present study aims to evaluate the in vitro anthelmintic effect of different concentrations of biobased silver nanoparticles on T. vitulorum adults. Methods: Different concentrations of silver nanoparticles were synthesised using lemon juice. Groups of male and female adult worms were incubated in 50, 100, and 200 mg/L silver nanoparti-cles for 48 h. The parasite motility, histology, and biochemical parameters were observed and com-pared to the control. Results: The results showed that silver nanoparticles decreased the worm motility, increased mor-tality rate, induced structural damage, caused collagen disruption, and showed elevated levels of as-partate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, albumin, total protein, urea, and creatinine, as well as reduced levels of acetylcholinesterase, lactate dehydrogenase, uric acid, total cholesterol, triglycerides, and high-density lipoprotein in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion: Silver nanoparticles established a significant anthelmintic effect against T. vitulorum and could become one of the up-and-coming antiparasitic drugs in the future.

Green Veterinary Pharmacology Applied to Parasite Control: Evaluation of Punica granatum, Artemisia campestris, Salix caprea Aqueous Macerates against Gastrointestinal Nematodes of Sheep.

Resistance to anthelmintic drugs in gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) of sheep is of high concern for livestock production worldwide. In Calabria (southern Italy), many plants have been used in ethnoveterinary medicine for parasite control in small ruminants. Here, we present an in vivo evaluation of anthelmintic efficacy of three plant extracts. The first was based on bark and leaves of Salix caprea, the second and the third were based on the whole plant Artemisia campestris and whole fruit (seeds and peel) of Punica granatum, respectively. Anthelmintic efficacy was evaluated according to the fecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) performed with the FLOTAC technique. The results showed a significant anthelmintic effect of Punica granatum macerate (50%), a low effectiveness of the Artemisia campestris macerate (20%), and a complete ineffectiveness of Salix caprea macerate (0.1%). With these outcomes, we report a P. granatum-based remedy reducing 50% GIN egg output. This result was obtained without using any synthetic drug, paving the way for the employment of green veterinary pharmacology (GVP) as a complementary and sustainable method to reduce the use of chemicals and to counteract anthelmintic resistance.

Anthelmintic and antimicrobial activities of three new depsides and ten known depsides and phenols from Indonesian lichen: Parmelia cetrata Ach.

An extensive phytochemical study of a foliose lichen from Indonesia, Parmelia cetrata, resulted in the successful isolation of 13 phenol and depside derivatives (1–13) including the previously unreported depsides 3′-hydroxyl-5′-pentylphenyl 2,4-dihydroxyl-6-methylbenzoate (7), 3′-hydroxyl-5′-propylphenyl 2,4-dihydroxyl-6-methylbenzoate (8) and 3′-hydroxyl-5′-methylphenyl 2-hydroxyl-4-methoxyl-6-propylbenzoate (9). The anti-infective activity of isolated compounds was evaluated against the gram-negative bacterium Aliivibrio fischeri and the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. 2,4-Dihydroxyl-6-pentylbenzoate (5) and lecanoric acid (6) induced growth inhibition of A. fischeri with inhibition values of 49% and 100% at a concentration of 100 µM, respectively. The antibacterial activity might be due to their free carboxyl group. A phenolic group at C4 also contributed to the antimicrobial activity of the depsides as shown for compounds 7 and 8, which caused 89% and 96% growth inhibition at 100 µM, respectively. Lecanoric acid (6) in addition possesses significant anthelmintic effects causing 80% mortality of C. elegans at 100 µg/mL.

Anthelmintic activity of chicory (Cichorium intybus): in vitro effects on swine nematodes and relationship to sesquiterpene lactone composition.

Chicory is a perennial crop that has been investigated as a forage source for outdoor-reared ruminants and pigs, and has been reported to have anthelmintic properties. Here, we investigated in vitro anthelmintic effects of forage chicory-extracts against the highly prevalent swine parasites Ascaris suum and Oesophagostomum dentatum. Methanol extracts were prepared and purified from two different cultivars of chicory (Spadona and Puna II). Marked differences were observed between the anthelmintic activity of extracts from the two cultivars. Spadona extracts had potent activity against A. suum third (L3) and fourth (L4) - stage larvae, as well as O. dentatum L4 and adults, whereas Puna II extracts had less activity against A. suum and no activity towards O. dentatum L4. Transmission-electron microscopy of A. suum L4 exposed to Spadona extracts revealed only subtle changes, perhaps indicative of a specific anthelmintic effect rather than generalized toxicity. Ultra-high liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed that the purified extracts were rich in sesquiterpene lactones (SL), and that the SL profile differed significantly between cultivars. This is the first report of anthelmintic activity of forage chicory towards swine nematodes. Our results indicate a significant anthelmintic effect, which may possibly be related to SL composition.

In vitro and in vivo anthelmintic effects of Caesalpinia bonducella (L.) Roxb. leaf extract on Hymenolepis diminuta (Cestoda) and Syphacia obvelata (Nematoda).

Background:Leaves of Caesalpinia bonducella (L.) Roxb. have been traditionally used as an herbal remedy to treat the intestinal helminthic infections in traditional medicine of India.Aim:This study was undertaken to evaluate the potential in vitro and in vivo anthelmintic effects of C. bonducella leaf extract against Syphacia obvelata (Nematoda) and Hymenolepis diminuta (Cestoda).Materials and Methods:The in vitro anthelmintic activity of the extract was investigated on adult worms of S. obvelata (Nematoda) and H. diminuta (Cestoda) in terms of physical motility and mortality of parasites. The in vivo study was performed in H. diminuta-rat model and S. obvelata-mice model, by monitoring the egg per gram of feces count and worm count of animals following the treatment with different doses of plant extract.Results:The study recorded significant and dose-dependent anthelmintic effects of the extract on both the parasites. In the in vitro study, 30 mg/ml concentration of extract caused mortality of H. diminuta in 2.5 ± 0.2 h and S. obvelata in 3.57 ± 0.16 h. In the in vivo study, the extract showed a comparatively better efficacy on S. obvelata, where its 800 mg/kg dose revealed 93% reduction of worm load in mice, as compared to 85% worm load reduction of H. diminuta in rats.Conclusions:The findings suggest that leaf extract of C. bonducella possesses significant anthelmintic effects and supports its use as an anthelmintic in traditional medicine. This appears to be the first report of in vivo anthelmintic activity of C. bonducella against these parasites.

Comparative evaluation of anthelmintic and antibacterial activities in leaves and fruits of Garcinia cambogia (Gaertn.) desr. and Garcinia indica (Dupetit-Thouars) choisy

This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro anthelmintic activity and antibacterial activity of the extracts from the leaves and fruits of Garcinia indica (Dupetit-Thouars) Choisy and Garcinia cambogia(Gaertn.) Desr. using the Indian earthworm Pheretima posthuma. Two concentrations (25 and 50 mg/mL) of various extracts such as petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol and water were tested. Albendazole at the concentrations of 25 and 50 mg/mL was used as the standard reference. Significant anthelmintic effects of the fruits and leaves of G. cambogia and G. indica (P<0.05) were observed and the results were expressed in terms of paralysis and death time. All the extracts showed the dose dependent paralysis and death of earthworms. Among all the extracts used, methanol extract exhibited the highest activity. G. cambogia leaf extract (50 mg/mL) had 30% faster paralysis effect on earthworms than the standard reference. Furthermore, the antimicrobial activity of the methanol extracts of the fruits and leaves showed significant (P<0.05) activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. At a concentration of 500 µg/mL, G. indica fruit extract presented higher zones of inhibition against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. Hence, it could be concluded that the leaves and fruits of G. indica and G. cambogia contained active anthelmintic and antibacterial phytochemicals, which could find their applications in pharmaceuticals.

Anthelmintic potential of Calotropis procera, Azadirachta indica and Punica granatum against Gastrothylax indicus.

Anthelmintic activity of both ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Calotropis procera flowers, Azadirachta indica leaves and Punica granatum fruit peel in comparison with albendazole was evaluated through in vitro studies by the worm motility inhibition assay. Significant anthelmintic effects (p<0.0005) were observed on live Gastrothylax indicus worm as evident from their mortality at 4h post exposure to both ethanolic and aqueous extracts. Phytochemical analysis of extracts revealed the presence of phenols, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, flavonoids, steroids and triterpenoids. LC-50 values were determined to be 12.05mg/ml±3.24 and 23.52mg/ml±6.4 for C. procera, 24.37mg/ml±4.11 and 21.02mg/ml±4.6 for A. indica, 18.92mg/ml±4.54 and 24.43mg/ml±6.96 for P. granatum ethanolic and aqueous extracts respectively, whereas it was 29.23μg/ml±4.51 for albendazole. The mean mortality index (MI) was 1.0 and 0.90 for C. procera, 0.90 for A. indica and 0.73 and 0.80 for P. granatum ethanolic and aqueous extracts respectively whereas for albendazole it was 1.0. Percent mean worm motility inhibition (%WMI) was observed to be between 70 and 100% for different extracts.Various concentrations (5-5000μg/ml) of all the plant extracts and albendazole were used to detect their cytotoxic effects against HeLa cell line to determine CC-50 by MTT assay. CC-50 values, of all the plant extracts were determined to be >1000μg/ml and for albendazole it was found to be >10μM. All the three plants can be potential sources for novel anthelmintics.

In-vitro Anthelmintic Efficacy of Some Kashmiri Medicinal Plants against Haemonchus contortus

A study was conducted to test the in-vitro anthelmintic efficacy of crude aqueous extracts (CAE) and crude ethanolic extracts (CEE) of the aerial parts of A. absinthium, Artemisia maritima Linn (Moorin), Acorus calamus Linn (Vai), Nepeta cataria Linn and root of Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex Benth against Haemonchus contortus. The worm motility inhibition assay was utilized in order to investigate the direct effects of plant extracts on the survival of the adult Haemonchus contortus of Sheep under in -vitro conditions. Significant anthelmintic effects of CAE and CEE on live adult Haemonchus contortus worms (P < 0.05) were observed in terms of the paralysis and/or death of the worms at different hours post-treatment (PT), however, CEE were more efficacious than CAE. In conclusion, Artemisia absinthium Linn (Tethwan) showed highest in-vitro anthelmintic efficacy and can be utilized for further in-vivo study.

In vitro anthelmintic and antioxidant potential of fruits of Momordica charantia: A comparative study

Background and Purpose: Momordica charantia L. (Cucurbitaceae) is used as both food and management of diverse human diseases science ancient time, including in the treatment of worm infection. This study was aimed to evaluate the comparative anthelmintic and anti-oxidant activity of juice and extracts of whole fruit, peels, and seed of M. charantia.Materials and Methods: In vitro anthelmintic activity of methanol extract of whole fruit, fruit peels, seed and fresh juice whole fruit, peels of M. charantia was investigated against Indian adult earthworms (Eisenia foetida). Extracts and juices are also investigated for their anti-oxidant activity using 2,2-diphenyl-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH• ) scavenging assay method. Results: Extracts and juice showed potent anti-oxidant and anthelmintic activity. Methanol extract of fruit peel demonstrated strong DPPH• scavenging activity (IC 50 = 29.02 ± 0.86 μg/ml), juice of fruit peel also produced good radical scavenging effect (57.30 ± 0.99 μmol TE/ml). Methanol extract of fruit peel showed potent anthelmintic effect which is similar to standard albendazole. Whole fruit and seed extract also produced significant anthelmintic effect. Whole fruit juice and peel juice showed similar but moderate in vitro anthelmintic effect. Conclusion: The wormicidal activity of extract and juice against earthworms suggests that they are effective against parasitic infections of humans. Results justify the use of fresh kerala juice by traditional medicinal practitioner to cure worm infection, and showed the potential to develop natural anthelmintic constitute from the fruit of the plant.

Anti-coccidial, anthelmintic and antioxidant activities of pomegranate (Punica granatum) peel extract

Coccidiosis and helminthosis in poultry are responsible for worldwide economic losses. The methanolic extract of Punica granatum (pomegranate) peel was used in vivo for its pharmacological, antioxidant and anti-coccidial properties and in vitro for its anthelmintic activity. For the in vivo study, four groups of mice were investigated. The first group was inoculated only with sterile saline and served as the control group. The second group was treated by oral gavage with pomegranate extract (300 mg/kg) daily for 5 days. The third and fourth groups were infected with 10(3) sporulated oocysts of Eimeria papillata. The fourth group was also treated once daily with pomegranate peel extract for 5 days. For the in vitro study, the anthelmintic effect of pomegranate peel extract was observed on live adult Allolobophora caliginosa. Paraffin sections from jejunum as well as jejunal homogenate were prepared for the histopathological and biochemical investigations, respectively. The data showed that mice infected with E. papillata revealed an output of approximately 2.9 × 10(5) oocysts per gram faeces on day 5 p.i. This output is significantly decreased to 50 % in pomegranate-treated mice. Infection with E. papillata induced marked histopathological alterations in jejunum in the form of inflammation, vacuolation of the epithelium and destruction of some villi. In addition, pomegranate extract caused a great diminish in body weight loss of infected mice. Moreover, the number of goblet cells stained with Alcian blue within the infected villi was significantly increased by about 26 % after pomegranate treatment. In addition, Pomegranate significantly lowered the increased number of apoptotic cells due to E. papillata infection by about 36 %. The results showed that E. papillata enhanced hydrogen peroxide, lipid peroxidation and nitric oxide production with concomitant reduction in glutathione. Pomegranate induced marked improvements in all of the studied parameters as well as the histopathological features of jejunum. In addition, pomegranate was able to exert a significant anthelmintic effect on live adult A. caliginosa worms in terms of the paralysis and death of the worms at different concentrations (100, 200 and 300 mg/ml). The study revealed that pomegranate as a natural product has protective effects against E. papillata-induced coccidiosis as well as it possesses an anthelmintic activity.

PRELIMINARY PHYTOCHEMICAL AND ANTHELMINTIC SCREENING OF LEAVES, BARK, ROOTS OF PLANT TABERNAEMONTANA CORONARIA

Tabernaemontana coronaria is a potent ial non cultivated medicinal plant widely distributed in waste lands and open forests in India. The alcoholic, ethereal and chloroform extracts were obtained from the plant Tabernaemontana coronaria by soxhlet extraction or co ntinuous hot percolation method and the extracts were evaluated for their anthelmintic activi ty , against locally available earth worms ( Pheretima posthuma ). Three concentrations (10, 30, 60 mg/ml) were prepared from each extract and were used for the study over earth worms. The study inv olves the determination of time of paralysis and time for dea th of the earth worms tested. The results obtained from the study revealed that all the extracts of Tabernaemontana coronaria possess significant anthelmintic effect at highest concentration (60 mg/ml). A solution of Albendazole was prepared in same concen tration as that of extract and was used as standard. A 5 % tween - 80 suspension prepared using normal saline solution was used as control

Anthelmintic activity of extracts of Artemisia absinthium against ovine nematodes

The increasing prevalence of anthelmintic resistant strains of helminths, drug residues in animal products and high cost of conventional anthelmintics has created an interest in studying medicinal plants as an alternative source of anthelmintics. Artemisia absinthium Linn. (Tethwen) is used traditionally by people as a vermifuge in addition to its other livestock uses. The objective of this study was to evaluate the anthelmintic efficacy of crude aqueous extracts (CAE) and crude ethanolic extracts (CEE) of the aerial parts of A. absinthium in comparison to albendazole against the gastrointestinal (GI) nematodes of sheep. To fulfill the objectives, the worm motility inhibition assay was utilized in order to investigate the direct effects of plant extracts on the survival of the adult nematodes under in vitro conditions and faecal egg count reduction assay to investigate the effects on faecal egg output of GI nematodes under in vivo conditions. Significant anthelmintic effects of CAE and CEE on live adult Haemonchus contortus worms ( P < 0.005) were observed in terms of the paralysis and/or death of the worms at different hours post-treatment (PT), however, CEE were more efficacious than CAE. The oral administration of the extracts in sheep was associated with significant reduction in faecal egg output by the GI nematodes. The CEE was as effective as the reference drug-albendazole and demonstrated faecal egg count reduction (FECR) of 90.46% in sheep at 2.0 g kg −1 body weight on day 15 PT followed by 82.85% FECR at 1.0 g kg −1 bw on day 15 PT. The CAE showed less activity and resulted in maximum of 80.49% FECR at 2.0 g kg −1 bw. Dosage had a significant ( P < 0.05) influence on the anthelmintic efficacy of A. absinthium. The better activity of CEE can be attributed to the greater concentration of alcohol soluble active anthelmintic principle/s and a more rapid transcuticular absorption of the CEE into the body of the worms when compared with the CAE. The results of the present study suggest that A. absinthium extracts are a promising alternative to the commercially available anthelmintics for the treatment of GI nematodes of sheep.

Anthelmintic efficacy ofAchillea millifoliumagainst gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep:in vitroandin vivostudies

Achillea millifolium Linn., commonly called 'Pehl-ghasa', is used by farmers in traditional animal health care as a vermifuge. The objective of this study was to evaluate the anthelmintic efficacy of crude aqueous extracts and crude ethanolic extracts of entire A. millifolium against the gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep. The worm motility inhibition assay was used for in vitro studies and faecal egg count reduction assay was used for in vivo studies. In vitro studies revealed significant anthelmintic effects of aqueous extracts and ethanolic extracts on live Haemonchus contortus worms (P < 0.05) as evident from their paralysis and/or death at 8 h post exposure. Aqueous extracts of A. millifolium resulted in a mean worm motility inhibition of 94.44%, while ethanolic extracts resulted in mean worm motility inhibition of 88.88%. The mean mortality index of aqueous extracts was 0.95 while for ethanolic extracts it was 0.9. The lethal concentration 50 was 0.05 mg ml(-1) for aqueous extracts and 0.11 mg ml(-1) for ethanolic extracts. The in vivo anthelmintic activity of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of A. millifolium demonstrated a maximum (88.40%) nematode egg count reduction in sheep treated with aqueous extracts at 2 g kg(-1) body weight on day 15 after treatment. Ethanolic extracts resulted in a maximum of 76.53% reduction in faecal egg counts on day 15 after treatment with 2 g kg(-1) body weight. Thus, the aqueous extracts exhibited greater anthelmintic activity under both in vitro and in vivo conditions, and could be due to the presence of water-soluble active principle/s in A. millifolium. It is concluded that the entire plant of A. millifolium possesses significant anthelmintic activity and could be a potential alternative for treating cases of helminth infections in ruminants.

&lt;i&gt;In-Vitro&lt;/i&gt; Anthelmintic Efficacy Of Crude Aqueous Extracts Of Neem (&lt;i&gt;Azadirachta Indica&lt;/i&gt;) Leaf, Stem And Root On Nematode

The anthelmintic efficacy of the aqueous extracts o neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf and stem and root barks against the hatching of eggs and the survival of larvae of nematode parasites of small ruminants were studied. The results of the in vitro egg hatch assay showed that the aqueous extracts of the leaf and stem bark produced significant anthelmintic effect through reduction in nematode egg hatch. The reduction in egg hatch was concentration dependent being highest (51 % and 50 % for the leaf and stem bark extracts respectively) at the highest concentration (100 mg/ml) of the extracts but inferior to those produced by albendazoe (100 % at 40 mg/ml). Aqueous extracts of the leaf and root bark produced significant reduction in larval survival within 60 minutes at ambienttemperature (30 – 35 ºC). Larval death was similar in both extracts and concentration dependent, increasing with increasing concentration of the leaf and root bark extracts. The reduction in larval survival due to the extracts was similar to that produced by albendazole. In general, the aqueous extract of neem leaf was more efficacious in limiting nematode larvae survival and in-vitro egg hatch. The results confirm the folkloric claims that neem has anthelmintic effect and thus suggest its possible usefulness as an anthelmintic. Keywords: Anthelmintic efficacy, Aqueous extract, Leaf, Stem, Root, Bark, Azadirachta indicaAnimal Research International Vol. 3 (3) 2006 pp. 549-552

Evaluation of anthelmintic properties of extracts from some plants used as livestock dewormers by pastoralist and smallholder farmers in Kenya against Heligmosomoides polygyrus infections in mice

Parasitic nematodes are among the most common and economically important infectious diseases of grazing livestock, especially in small ruminants in the tropics and subtropics in Kenya the control of gastrointestinal nematode infections in sheep and goats is usually made with synthetic anthelmintics but substantial levels of anthelmintic resistance have been recorded. A number of medicinal plants, that may provide possible alternatives, and are used by pastoralists and smallholder farmers in Kenya as deworming agents for their livestock and equines, namely Aframomum sanguineum, Dodonea angustifolia, Hildebrandtia sepalosa, Myrsine africana, Rapanea melanophloeos from Kenya, and Azadirachta indica from Kenya and Malaysia, together with the chemicals embelin and santonin that occur in some of these plants, were evaluated against Heligmosomoides polygyrus in mice. Commercial anthelmintics, namely ivermectin, pyrantel and piperazine, were also investigated, both to validate the mouse model system and to assess efficacy of these drugs against H. polygyrus. Pyrantel and ivermectin were highly effective in reducing the numbers of H. polygyrus worms as well as eggs in faeces of the mice, but piperazine had a lower activity. Application of santonin and M. africana significantly reduced the number of total worm counts (TWC) but not faecal egg counts (FEC). The use of embelin, R. melanophloeos and A. indica reduced FEC but not TWC. In all cases, however, reductions were well below the a priori level of 70% required for biological significance. A. sanguineum, D. angustifolia and H. sepalosa had no effect on either TWC or FEC. In conclusion, none of the plant preparations had any biologically significant anthelmintic effect in this monogastric host–parasite model system.

The anthelmintic effects of the leaf extract of Ocimum gratissimum (L.)

The leaf extract (F005) of Ocimum gratissimum was isolated by a bioassay-guided chromatographic separation technique using the brine shrimp lethality test assay. The effects of various concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0, and 8.0 mg/ml) of F005 were tested in vitro on infective larvae (L(3)) of Haemonchus contortus and Heligmosomoides polygyrus. Cockerels experimentally infected with Ascaridia galli infective eggs were also treated with various doses (500, 1000, and 1500 mg/kg) of F005 in vivo. F005 produced 15% and 16.6% paralysis of H. contortus and H. polygyrus larvae, respectively, at 8 mg/ml. It induced significant anthelmintic effect in chicks infected with A. galli in a dose-dependent manner with 1,500 mg/kg producing the highest effect (55.8%).

Studies on the traditional herbal anthelmintic chenopodium ambrosioides L.: Ethnopharmacological evaluation and clinical field trials

Infusions and decoctions of the leaves, roots and inflorescences of the herbaceous shrub Chenopodium ambrosioides (American wormseed, goosefoot, epazote, paico) and related species indigenous to the New World have been used for centuries as dietary condiments and as traditional anthelmintics by native peoples for the treatment of intestinal worms. Commercial preparations of oil of chenopodium and its active constituent, ascaridol, obtained by steam distillation, have been and continue to be, used with considerable success in mass treatment campaigns. Ethnopharmacological studies in a community of Mayan subsistence farmers in Chiapas, Mexico, confirmed that decoctions containing up to 300 mg of dry plant material per kg body weight (MGKGW) were widely used and traditionally highly regarded in the treatment of ascariasis. However, therapeutic doses of up to 6000 MGKGW of powdered, dried plant had no significant anthelmintic effect on the adults of Necator, Trichuris of Ascaris. Gas-liquid chromatographic analyses of plant samples used consistently demonstrated the presence of ascaridol in the expected amounts. Possible origins of subjective belief in the efficacy of C. ambrosioides as used, may be related to the positive association of spontaneous, or peristalsis-induced passage of senescent worms immediately following a therapeutic episode. It is also possible that in the past varieties of the plant containing much more ascaridol were used. The results of these controlled field studies did not sustain widely held traditional beliefs, nor the value of therapeutic practices regarding this plant. It is, therefore, essential that all indigenous ethnomedical practices be objectively evaluated for efficacy and safety using appropriate protocols before being considered for adoptation or promotion in health care programs. Although this herbal drug was not efficacious as currently used, its essential oil, which is highly effective, could be extracted using technology and materials available at the village level. The plant already is known, accepted, and widely grown by rural peoples. Intestinal helminths are a constant and serious health problem in most such communities. Commercially available pharmaceuticals are effective but too expensive for periodic treatment and prophylaxis. Reinfection immediately following treatment is inevitable given the socioeconomic, climatic and hygienic conditions in such communities. The local production and application of an effective and inexpensive anthelmintic, therefore, would be of considerable public health and economic importance.