Worm Motility Inhibition Research Articles

Evaluation of anthelmintic efficacy of ethanolic leaf extract of Juglans regia L. on Ascaridia galli: a comprehensive in vitro and in vivo study.

Anthelmintic resistance in livestock animals has been spreading across the world in prevalence and severity. As a result, researchers are exploring alternative strategies to combat this issue, and one promising avenue is the utilization of medicinal plants. This study aims to investigate the anthelmintic efficacy of the crude ethanolic extract (CEE) derived from the leaves of Juglans regia against one of the most detrimental nematode parasites affecting poultry, namely Ascaridia galli (A. galli). For the in vitro studies, adult A. galli worms were collected from the naturally infected chickens and the efficacy of CEE was measured at the concentration of 25, 50, and 100mg/ml using adult worm motility inhibition (WMI) assay. In addition, levamisole (0.55mg/ml) was used as the positive control. Likewise, Phosphate buffered saline (PBS) was used as the negative control. For the in vivo studies, CEE of J.regia at the doses of 500, 1000, and 2000mg/kg were evaluated in chickens experimentally infected with A. galli. The anthelmintic efficacy was monitored using faecal egg count reduction (FECR) and worm count reduction (WCR) assays. In vitro studies revealed significant (P < 0.001) anthelmintic effects of CEE of J.regia on the motility of A. galli worms at different hours post-exposure. At the concentration of 100mg/ml, CEE resulted in 96.5% inhibition of worm motility at 24h post-exposure. While the synthetic anthelmintic drug, levamisole caused the highest inhibition of worm motility (100%) at the same time period. The in vivo anthelmintic activity of CEE of J. regia demonstrated a maximum effect on day 14 post-treatment by inducing 67.28% FECR and 65.03% WCR. We observed no significant difference (P > 0.05) in worm counts between the negative control group and the chickens treated with CEE at the dosage of 500mg/kg. Together, the results of the present study suggest that CEE of J. regia leaves possess anthelmintic properties and could be a potential source of novel anthelmintic compounds for controlling helminth parasites.

Anthelmintic Activity of Saussurea costus (Falc.) Lipsch. Against Ascaridia galli, a Pathogenic Nematode in Poultry: In Vitro and In Vivo Studies.

The growing resistance of helminth parasites to currently available commercial anthelmintic drugs, combined with apprehensions regarding detrimental chemical residues in livestock products, has sparked an interest in exploring medicinal plants as an alternative strategy for treating helminthiasis. As a result, this study was designed to investigate the anthelmintic activity of crude methanolic extracts (CME) of Saussurea costus root on Ascaridia.galli, a pathogenic nematode of poultry. In vitro, the anthelmintic effect of Saussurea costus root was evaluated in comparison to commercial anthelmintic, levamisole on the adult nematode parasites, A.galli using worm motility inhibition (WMI) test. The CME of S.costus was also evaluated for in vivo anthelmintic activity in chickens experimentally infected with Ascaridia galli. For the in vivo study, one hundred-day-old chickens were orally infected with embryonated eggs of A. galli worms. The efficacy of the plant extract as an anthelmintic was assessed through two tests: faecal egg count reduction (FECR) test and worm count reduction (WCR) test. The study investigated three distinct doses of plant extract under in vivo setup: 500mgkg-1 body weight (bw), 1000mgkg-1 bw, and 2000mgkg-1 bw. In vitro, all the tested concentrations of S.costus (25mg/ml, 50mg/ml, and 100mg/ml) showeda significant (P < 0.001) anthelmintic effects on live adult A. galli worms in terms of inhibition of worm motility at different hours post-treatment. At the highest concentration of the extract, we observed worm motility inhibition of 100% at 24h post-exposure. On day 14 post-treatment, all birds were slaughtered, and adult A. galli worms were subsequently retrieved from their small intestines. Birds treated with CME extract of S. costus root exhibited a significant (P < 0.001) reduction in faecal egg count. However, the administration of the extract at the dosage of 500mgkg-1bw to the birds did not reveal any significant (P > 0.05) differences in the worm count compared to the negative control group. The CME of S. costus at a dose of 2000mgkg-1bw showed the highest anthelmintic activity by inducing 83.10% FECR and 76.47% WCR. In conclusion, the root extract of S. costus has a promising anthelmintic activity on A. galli as demonstrated by the results of the present experiment.

Emerging alternatives to traditional anthelmintics: the in vitro antiparasitic activity of silver and selenium nanoparticles, and pomegranate (Punica granatum) peel extract against Haemonchus contortus

Haemonchus contortus (H. contortus) is one of the most prevalent gastrointestinal nematodes, causing health problems and economic losses in ruminants. Nanotechnology holds great promise as a field of science, with potential applications in veterinary medicine. This study investigated the in vitro anthelmintic activity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs), and pomegranate peel extract (Punica granatum; PPE) on different stages of H. contortus: eggs, larvae, and adults. The in vitro anthelmintic efficacy was evaluated using the egg hatching inhibition assay (EHA), the third larval stage paralysis assay (LPA), and the adult worm motility inhibition assay (WMI). Six dilutions of PPE were utilized for EHA, LPA, and WMI, ranging from 0.25 to 6 mg/ml. AgNPs dilutions ranged from 0.00001 to 1.0 μg/ml for EHA and LPA and 1 to 25 μg/ml for WMI. SeNPs were utilized at dilutions of 1, 5, 10, and 15 μg/ml for EHA, LPA, and WMI. The results showed that the lowest concentration of AgNPs, SeNPs, and PPE significantly inhibited egg hatching. To further assess larvicidal activity, AgNPs at the highest concentration of 1 μg/ml induced a strong larvicidal effect, as did SeNPs at the lowest concentration. On the contrary, PPE displayed a significant larvicidal effect at 1 mg/ml compared to the control. The percentage mortality of adult H. contortus was measured as follows (mortality (%) = the number of dead adult H. contortus/total number of adult H. contortus per test × 100). The death of the adult H. contortus was determined by the absence of motility. Adult H. contortus mortality percentage was also significantly affected by all three agents when compared to the control. The AgNPs, SeNPs, and PPE have effective antiparasitic activity on gastrointestinal parasitic nematodes. These results provide evidence of the excellent antiparasitic properties of AgNPs, SeNPs, and PPE, demonstrating their effectiveness in controlling eggs, larvae, and adult H. contortus in vitro.

Anthelmintic-Like Activity and Ultrastructure Changes Produced by Two Polyphenolic Combinations against Cooperia punctata Adult Worms and Infective Larvae.

Cooperia punctata is one of the most prevalent gastrointestinal nematodes affecting cattle under grazing conditions, and the increasing reports of anthelmintic resistance forces researchers to look for novel control measures. Previous reports have proposed the use of polyphenolic compound (PC) combinations (Coumarin:Quercetin (CuQ) and Caffeic-acid:Rutin (CaR)) against free-living stages (L3) of C. punctata. The objective of this study was to assess the in vitro motility inhibition of C. punctata adult worms and infective larvae using the Larval Motility Inhibition Assay (LMIA) and Adult Motility Inhibition Assay (AMIA), and to assess the structural and ultrastructural changes induced by both treatments using Scanning and Transmission Electron Microscopy. For the LMIA, infective larvae were incubated for 3 h in 0.8 mg mL-1 and 0.84 mg mL-1 of CuQ and CaR, respectively. For AMIA, six concentrations and five incubation periods (2, 4, 6, 12 and 24 h) were assessed using each PC combination. Cooperia punctata motility was calculated as a percentage and corrected using control motility percentages. A multiple comparisons Brown-Forsythe and Welch ANOVA test was used to compare larval motility; and to fit the dose-response in AMIA, data were analyzed with a non-linear regression four-parameter logistic equation with a variable slope, using the computer program GraphPad Prism® V.9.2.0. Although larval motility was barely affected by both treatments (p > 0.05), adult worm motility was inhibited 100% and 86.9% after 24 h incubation with CuQ and CaR, respectively (p < 0.05). The best fit EC50 for adult worm motility inhibition were 0.073 ± 0.071 mg mL-1 and 0.051 ± 0.164 mg mL-1 for CuQ and CaR, respectively. Main structural and ultrastructural lesions observed in both biological stages were: (i) L3 sheath-cuticle complex disruption, (ii) collagen fibers degradation; (iii) hypodermic detachment, (iv) seam cell apoptosis and (v) mitochondrial swelling. The alterations observed suggest that the PC combinations interfere with the anatomy and physiology of the locomotive apparatus of the nematodes.

&amp;lt;i&amp;gt;In vitro&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; Effects of &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Anogeissus leiocarpus&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; and &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Adansonia digitata&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; on Two Life-cycle Stages of &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Haemonchus contortus&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt;, a Gastrointestinal Parasite of Small Ruminants

This study evaluated the <i>in vitro</i> anthelmintic activity of aqueous and hydroethanolic extracts of <i>Anogeissus leiocarpus</i> and <i>Adansonia digitata</i> leaf powder at 75; 150; 300; 600; 1200 and 2400 µg/mL against <i>H. contortus</i>, using the egg hatch test and the adult worm motility inhibition test. For egg hatch inhibition, the both plants showed significant concentration-dependent efficacy and were significantly more effective (p < 0.001) at the highest concentrations (1200 and 2400 µg/mL) than at the lowest. The hydro ethanolic extract of <i>A. leiocarpus</i> showed the highest inhibition (R² = 0.9963) and the aqueous extract of the same plant showed the lowest inhibition (R² = 0.9742). The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of the <i>A. leiocarpus</i> aqueous and hydro ethanolic extracts (86.19 and 72.5 µg/mL) were 3 times lower than those of the A. digitata extracts (302 and 269.5 µg/mL). Mobility of adult worms was also concentration dependent (p<0.05); and also dependent on incubation time (p<0.01). At 2400 μg/mL, all adult worms were immobile after 6 h of exposure, whereas at the lowest concentration (75 μg/mL), all adult worms were immobile after 36 h of exposure. Extracts from both plants had similar activity. Finally, the results of the present study suggest that the both plants studied have anthelmintic properties <i>in vitro</i> which would explain their use by livestock farmers. However, <i>in vivo</i> tests should be performed to confirm these properties in vivo as well.

Anthelminthic effects of extracts of indigenous browses from mid rift valley of Ethiopia

This study was conducted to evaluate the potential anthelminthic properties of extracts of leaves of indigenous browses (Acacia seyal, Acacia senegal, Acacia tortilis, Millettia ferruginea, and Vernonia amygadalina) based on three in vitro assays. Acetone extracts of browses at different concentrations (75 to 1200 μg/ml, for egg and larvae and 100mg/ml for an adult) were tested on three developmental stages of Haemonchus contortus (eggs, infective larvae, and adult worms) using egg hatch assay (EHA), larval migration inhibition assay (LMIA) and adult worm motility inhibition assay (AMIA). Significant effects were obtained with all five browses but differences were observed depending on the parasitic stages. The effects of five browse extracts on egg hatching were concentration-dependent, the highest (P&lt;0.05) egg hatch inhibition rate was observed at 1200 μg/ml concentration for all browses. All extracts had a higher effect (P&lt;0.01) than that of the negative control, phosphate buffer saline (PBS). In contrast, no concentration-response relationship was found for infective larvae and adult worms, although more potent effects were observed with the highest concentrations. The LMI rate (70%) induced by Vernonia amygadalina extract, at a concentration of 300 μg/ml, was the highest (P&lt;0.05) of all other browses, even at higher concentrations. The highest LMI rate (62%) induced by Acacia senegal extract at higher concentration, was lower than that of LMI rate (70%) induced by Vernonia amygadalina, at 300 μg/ml concentration. Vernonia amygadalina was found to be highly and rapidly effective against adult worms inducing the highest mortality rate (90%) as soon as 4 hrs after incubation. Overall, the in vitro results suggest that these five browses do possess anti-parasitic properties and Vernonia amygadalina showed the most effective anti-parasitic property. These effects remain to be confirmed through in vivo study.

Evaluation of anthelmintic antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of Chenopodium album.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the anthelmintic, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of Chenopodium album against gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep and some pathogenic microbes. A worm motility inhibition assay was used for in vitro study, and a faecal egg count reduction assay was used for an in vivo study. Various concentrations ranging from 100 to 500μg/ml of the extract were subjected to antimicrobial screening by disc diffusion method against four selected bacterial (Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas multocida and Escherichia coli) and two fungal (Aspergillus flavus and Candida albicans) strains in order to estimate the medicinal potential of the herb. DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl), riboflavin photo-oxidation, deoxyribose, lipid peroxidation assays were used for antioxidant activity. The extracts exhibited dose- and time-dependent anthelmintic effects on the Haemonchus contortus as compared to levamisole. The extract showed maximum inhibitory effect against S. aureus (28±0.14mm), while as mild inhibitory effect was observed against E. coli among the selected microbial strains. The effect produced by the different extract concentrations was comparable with the standard antibacterial agent streptomycin sulphate and antifungal agent nystatin, which were used as effective positive control in the study. The antioxidant activity showed that the extracts exhibited scavenging effect in concentration-dependent manner on superoxide anion radicals and hydroxyl radicals leading to the conclusion that the plant has broad spectrum anthelmintic, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities and could be a potential alternative for treating various diseases.

Anthelmintic Activities of Aqueous and Methanol Extracts of Prunella vulgaris L.

The increasing anthelmintic resistance, 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. The aqueous and methanolic extracts of Prunella vulgaris was evaluated for anthelmintic efficacy against gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep under both in vitro and in vivo conditions using worm motility inhibition assay, egg hatch assay and faecal egg count reduction percent (FECR%) assay respectively. Crude methanol extract and crude aqueous extract of P. vulgaris resulted in mean percentage mortality of 94.44%, as observed after the worms were put in lukewarm PBS for 30 min after exposure to different treatments(p<0.01). Crude methanol extract (LC50=2.48 mg/mL) had higher inhibitory effects compared to that of crude aqueous extract (LC50=3.36 mg/mL) on egg hatching, exhibiting higher ovicidal activity. in vivo, maximum reduction (92.86%) in faecal egg counts was recorded for crude methanol extract, followed by crude aqueous extract (80.34%) with dose 2 g/kg of body weight at day 15 post-treatment. The results of the present study suggest that P. vulgaris extracts are promising alternatives to the commercially available anthelmintics for the treatment of sheep nematodes.

In vitro and in vivo anthelmintic activities of Iris kashmiriana Linn.

In search of a natural antiparasitic, in vitro and in vivo anthelmintic activities of methanol and aqueous extracts of Iris kashmiriana Linn. rhizome were tested against gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep. A worm motility inhibition assay was used for in vitro study and a faecal egg count reduction assay was used for in vivo study. Crude aqueous extracts of I. kashmiriana exhibited greater anthelmintic activity against Haemonchus contortus than crude methanolic extract (P<0.05). The aqueous extracts of I. kashmiriana resulted in a mean worm motility inhibition of 85.0%, while methanolic extracts resulted in a mean worm motility inhibition of 100.0%. The in vivo anthelmintic activity of aqueous and methanolic extracts of I. kashmiriana in sheep naturally infected with mixed gastrointestinal nematodes species demonstrated a maximum (70.27%) egg count reduction in sheep treated with aqueous extracts at 2gkg−1 body weight on day 15 after treatment, closely followed by methanolic extracts at 1gkg−1 body weight on day 15 after treatment (33.17% egg count reduction) while as lethal concentration (LC50) values of aqueous and methanolic extracts of I. kashmiriana on adult worms of gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep H. contortus are 18.50mg/ml and 16.66mg/ml respectively. Thus aqueous extracts exhibited greater anthelmintic activity under both in vitro and in vivo conditions; this could be due to the presence of water soluble active ingredients in I. kashmiriana. From the present study it can be suggested that I. kashmiriana rhizome exhibited significant anthelmintic activity against gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep and has the potential to contribute to the control of gastrointestinal nematode parasites of small ruminants.

In vitro Anthelmintic Efficacy of Medicinal Plants against Heterakis gallinarum in Village Chickens

&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Heterakis gallinarum &lt;/em&gt;impedes the productivity of village chickens and hence their socio-economic contribution to rural communties. Smallholder farmers are endowed with vast indigenous knowledge for controlling &lt;em&gt;H. gallinarum &lt;/em&gt;and they predominantly use &lt;em&gt;Aloe ferox&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Agave sisalan&lt;/em&gt;a and &lt;em&gt;Gunnera perpensa&lt;/em&gt;. However, their anthelminthic efficacy is unknown. Therefore, our objective was to determine the &lt;em&gt;in vitro&lt;/em&gt; anthelmintic efficacy of &lt;em&gt;A. ferox&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;A. sisalana&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;G. perpensa&lt;/em&gt; against &lt;em&gt;H. gallinarum&lt;/em&gt;. &lt;em&gt;Heterakis gallinarum&lt;/em&gt; worms were recovered from caeca of 20 village chickens. Ten worms were randomly introduced in each of the 42 petri-dishes. Treatments were positive control (distilled water), negative control (mebendazole) and &lt;em&gt;A. ferox&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;A. sisalana&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;G. perpensa&lt;/em&gt; aqueous extracts at dosage of 7.25, 14.5, 29 and 58 mg/mL. The procedure was done in triplicate. Worm motility and mortality indices were calculated. Among plant, &lt;em&gt;A. sisalana&lt;/em&gt; (14.5 mg/mL) had the greatest (80%) worm motility inhibition at 12-h interval (p &amp;lt; 0.05) and the greatest worm mortality index (80%) showing that the plant has anthelmintic properties. Seventy percent of worms were recovered after 48 h following treatment with &lt;em&gt;A. ferox&lt;/em&gt; (58 mg/mL). &lt;em&gt;Agave sisalana&lt;/em&gt; (14.5 mg/mL) was the most efficient plant in reducing motility and causing mortality of &lt;em&gt;H. gallinarum&lt;/em&gt; &lt;em&gt;in vitro. &lt;/em&gt;Findings are useful to resource-constrained farmers who use crude extracts, to select the best plant and to pharmaceutical companies for manufacturing anthelmintic drugs.&lt;/p&gt;

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.

Anthelmintic, antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxic activity of Caltha palustris var. alba Kashmir, India

The methanolic extract obtained from the root portion of Caltha palustris var. alba was evaluated for its anthelmintic efficacy against gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep under both in vitro and in vivo conditions using worm motility inhibition (WMI) assay and fecal egg count reduction (FECR) assay, respectively. The extract was subjected to antimicrobial activity using agar-well diffusion method against different bacterial strains. In addition the extract was evaluated for cytotoxic and antioxidant activity against cultured THP-1(Leukemia), A-549 (Lung), HCT-15 (Colon), Cervix (HeLa) and PC-3(Prostrate) cell lines by SRB and DPPH radical scavenging assays.The extract used resulted in mean %WMI of 94.44%, as observed when the worms were put in lukewarm buffer for 30 min after exposure to different treatments. The mean mortality index of the sample was 0.95. The lethal concentration (LC50) was 0.11 mg·mL−1. Cell lines were exposed to concentration of 100 μg·mL−1 of extract for 48 h, which reduced the viability of these cell lines. The same plant extract also showed 55.58% DPPH radical scavenging activity.

Evaluation of anthelmintic activity of ethanolic and aqueous leaf extracts of Azadirachta indica on phosphatases in Gastrothylax indicus

Because of increasing anthelmintic resistance and the impact of conventional anthelmintics on the environment, it is important to look for alternative strategies against helminth parasite in sheep. The present study was performed to evaluate in vitro anthelmintic activity of plant Azadirachta indica on rumen amphistome of sheep.Anthelmintic activity of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of A. indica leaves in comparison with albendazole ( positive control ) and PBS (negative control) was evaluated through in vitro studies using worm motility inhibition and tegumental enzyme assays. Gastrothylax indicus was exposed in vitro to ethanolic and aqueous extracts(6.25 to 50 mg) of neem leaf to evaluate its anthelmintic efficacy. Mortality was observed at 2.14± 0.28h and 1.71± 0.21h for ethanolic and aqueous extracts respectively for the parasite at the highest test concentration of the plant extract. Anthelmintic albendazole was observed to cause mortality instantly (0.08±0.01h) at 80 μg/ml. Tegumental enzymes of the parasite ALP, ACP, ATPase and G-6-pase were found to be suppressed both by ethanolic and aqueous extracts . Enzyme kinetic studies showed inhibition to be non- competitive in case of ALP with both the extracts whereas for ACP it was found to be non- competitive with ethanolic and competitive with aqueous extract. Albendazole showed competitive inhibition in case of ALP and non-competitive with ACP.

Anthelmintic and antimicrobial activity of methanolic and aqueous extracts of Euphorbia helioscopia L.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the anthelmintic and antimicrobial efficacy of Euphorbia helioscopia crude extracts. A worm motility inhibition assay and egg hatch assay were used for in vitro study, and a faecal egg count reduction assay was used for in vivo study. The in vitro study revealed anthelmintic effects of crude methanolic extracts of E. helioscopia on live Haemonchus contortus worms as evident from their paralysis and/or death at 8h after exposure. Different concentrations (12.5mg ml(-1), 25mg ml(-1) and 50mg ml(-1)) of aqueous and methanolic extracts were used against H. contortus which exhibited dose-dependent anthelmintic effects on H. contortus. Different extracts of E. helioscopia on percent inhibitory egg hatching was very low as compared to levamisole. The antimicrobial activity of extracts ranging from 100 to 500mg ml(-1) screened by disc diffusion method against four selected bacterial (Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas multocida and Escherichia coli) and two fungal strains (Aspergillus flavus and Candida albicans) was also dose dependent with the extract showing more inhibitory effects against S. aureus and E. coli and a minimum inhibitory effect against A. flavus. It is concluded that the entire plant of E. helioscopia possesses significant anthelmintic and antimicrobial activity and could be a potential alternative for treating cases of helminth infections in ruminants.

In vitro and in vivo anthelmintic activity of Euphorbia helioscopia L.

The anthelmintic potentials of the aqueous and methanol extracts of Euphorbia helioscopia were investigated. In folklore medicine, E. helioscopia (Euphorbiaceae) is used in the treatment of various gastrointestinal ailments and diseases. A worm motility inhibition (WMI) assay and egg hatch assay (EHA) were used for in vitro assessment, and a faecal egg count reduction (FECR) assay was used for an in vivo study. The in vitro study revealed anthelmintic effects of crude methanolic extracts of E. helioscopia on live Haemonchus contortus worms as evident from their paralysis and/or death at 8h after exposure, different concentrations (12.5mgml−1, 25mgml−1 and 50mgml−1) of aqueous and methanolic extracts were used against H. contortus which exhibited dose-dependent anthelmintic effects on H. contortus. Aqueous and methanolic extracts of aerial parts (stem, leaves and flowers) of E. helioscopia were found to have very low percent inhibitory egg hatching as compared to levamisole. It is concluded that the entire plant of E. helioscopia possesses significant anthelmintic activity and could be a potential alternative for treating cases of helminth infections in ruminants.

In vitro effects of Cucurbita moschata seed extracts on Haemonchus contortus

This study was carried out to evaluate the in vitro effect of Cucurbita moschata seed against the parasitic nematode of small ruminants Haemonchus contortus. Three extracts (aqueous, methanolic and dichloromethane) of C. moschata seed were tested in vitro on four developmental stages of H. contortus using egg hatch assay (EHA), larval development assay (LDA), L3 migration inhibition (LMI) assay and adult worm motility (AWM) assay. The highly significant ( P < 0.001) ability to stop larval development (inhibition > 90% for each extract) and the negative effect of the dichloromethane and methanolic extracts on adult worm motility (inhibition of motility >59.2% after 24 h of incubation) compared to the negative controls, suggest anthelmintic properties of C. moschata seed against H. contortus. The active principles responsible for the activity could be secondary metabolites such as amino acid compounds or terpenoid compounds present in the extracts.

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.

Evaluation of anthelmintic activity of Iris hookeriana against gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep

The objective of this study was to evaluate the anthelmintic efficacy of Iris hookeriana Linn. rhizome against gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep. A worm motility inhibition assay was used for in vitro study and a faecal egg count reduction assay was used for an in vivo study. The in vitro study revealed anthelmintic effects of crude aqueous extracts and crude ethanolic extracts on live Trichuris ovis worms (P < or = 0.05) as evident from their paralysis and/or death at 8 h after exposure. The aqueous extracts of I. hookeriana resulted in a mean worm motility inhibition of 54.0%, while ethanolic extracts resulted in a mean worm motility inhibition of 84.6%. The mean mortality index of aqueous extracts was 0.55, while for ethanolic extracts it was 0.85. The lethal concentration 50 for aqueous extracts was 0.45 mg ml- 1 and for ethanolic extracts it was 0.15 mg ml- 1. The in vivo anthelmintic activity of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of I. hookeriana in sheep naturally infected with mixed species of gastrointestinal nematodes demonstrated a maximum (45.62%) egg count reduction in sheep treated with ethanolic extracts at 2 g kg- 1 body weight on day 10 after treatment, closely followed by ethanolic extracts at 1 g kg- 1 body weight on day 10 after treatment (43.54% egg count reduction). The aqueous extracts resulted in a maximum of 31.53% reduction in faecal egg counts on day 10 after treatment with 1 g kg- 1 body weight. Thus ethanolic extracts exhibited greater anthelmintic activity under both in vitro and in vivo conditions; this could be due to the presence of alcohol-soluble active ingredients in I. hookeriana. From the present study it can be suggested that I. hookeriana rhizome exhibited significant anthelmintic activity against gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep and has the potential to contribute to the control of gastrointestinal nematode parasites of small ruminants.