Abstract

Dr. Umesh Prabhakar Joshi*, Mr. Chetan Vijay Jain, Mr. Sayyed Tahir Farid and Dr. Kailaspati Prabhakar Chittam

ABSTRACT

Objective: Development of anthelmintic resistance and high cost of conventional anthelmintic drugs leads to the evaluation of medicinal plants as another source of anthelmintics. Gastrointestinal nematodes are the major restrictive factor for the successfulness of livestock production all over the world. Appearance of resistance strains as well as scarcity and high cost of the currently available drugs has lead to the evaluation of other alternative helminth control options, mainly from plants. The development of anthelmintic activity and the high cost of synthetic anthelmintic drugs it leads to the evaluation of medicinal plants as an alternative source of anthelmintics. In the current study, in vitro experiments were conducted to determine the possible anthelmintic effects of crude Chloroform, Methanolic, Aqueous and Hydroalcoholic extracts of the bark of the plant Albizia lebbeck (L.) Benth. on eggs and adult Pheretima posthuma and Ascaridia galli. Methods: Three concentrations (10, 25 and 50 mg/ml) of chloroform, methanolic, aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts of bark of plant Albizia lebbeck (L.) Benth. were studied in activity which involved the determination of the time of paralysis (called as vermifuge) and time of death (called as vermicidal) of the worms. Piperazine citrate in same concentration as those of extract was included as standard reference and normal saline water with 1% carboxymethyl cellulose as control. Results: The chloroform, methanolic, aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts exhibited significant anthelmintic activity at a concentration of 50 mg/ml. Peak activity was exhibited by the methanolic extract at a concentration of 50 mg/ml. Conclusion: The overall findings of the present study have shown that Albizia lebbeck (L.) Benth. contain possible anthelmintic compounds and further evaluation of these plants should be carried out. The traditional use of anthelmintic activity of this plant is genuine.