Evaluation of anthelmintic activity of Eichhornia crassipes
roots
1.Koringa College of Pharmacy, Korangi-533
461, E.G. Dt., Andhra Pradesh, India.
3Pydah College of Pharmacy, Patavala, E.G.Dt., Andhra
Pradesh, India.
.
ABSTRACT:
Herbal medicine is having very old history.
Plants are the typical manufacturers of complex drug molecules, which serve as
a prototype to develop more effective and less toxic medicines. Helminth infections are distressing huge population in the
world. These infections are contributing to the disorders like pneumonia, anaemia, eosinophilia and under
nourishment. Anthelmintics are the drugs which expels
the parasitic worms from the gastrointestinal tract by either paralyzing or
killing the worms. So, there is a need of investigation of new anthelmintic molecules. Eichhornia crassipes belongs to the family Pontederiaceae, commonly known as “Water hyacinth” is selected as test drug
based on ethno-botanical survey conducted in East Godavari Dist., Andhra
Pradesh. In present study evaluation of anthelmintic
activity of root extracts was done by using adult Indian earth worm Pheritima posthuma. The
above activity was carried out using the petroleum ether, ethanol extracts of
different concentrations using piperazine citrate
positive control and normal saline as negative control. Overall anthelmintic activity revealed that concentration dependent
nature of extracts. The extract shows potent and significant anthelmintic activity as compared to the standards and it
was investigated to be used as effective anthelmintic
drug.
KEYWORDS:
Helminth infections, Anthelmintics, Eichhornia crassipes,
Pheritima posthuma,
Petroleum ether & Ethanol extract.
INTRODUCTION:
A number of plants have been tested for their anthelmintic efficacy (Dhar et
al. 1968, 1973; Dhawan et al.1980; Aswal et al. 1984; Bhakuni et al.
1988, 1990;Chhabra et al. 1990; Robinson et al. 1990; Akhtar
and Riffat 1991; Akhtar and
Ahmad 1992; Chatterjee et al. 1992; Than et al. 1993;
Chakrborty et al. 1995). In Meghalaya (Northeast
India), numerous indigenous plants are used by the natives, who believe them to
be curative against worm infections (Rao 1981).
Anthelmintics are drugs that either kill or
expel infesting helminthes. Helminthiasis is
prevalent globally, but is more common in developing countries with poorer
personal and environmental hygiene affecting a large proportion
of the world’s population1, 2. It is a macroparasitic
disease of humans and animals causing immunomodulatory
effects on the host, with implications for any co infecting pathogens 3.
In developing countries, they pose a large threat to public health
and contribute to the prevalence of malnutrition, anemia, eosinophillia
and pneumonia1. Albendazole is the first reported anthelmintic which promises to have useful activity against
all the types of helminth parasites menacing the
domestic animals 4. The main problem in treating helminthiasis
is “resistance to currently available drugs”.
Treatment
with an antihelminthic drug kills worms whose
genotype renders them susceptible to the drug. Worms that are resistant survive
and pass on their "resistance" genes. Resistant worms accumulate and
finally treatment failure occurs 5. Also the high cost of drugs and
requirement of improved management, shifting the focus of patient from chemical
control to natural anthelmintics.
Eichhornia crassipes (Water
hyacinth) is a free-floating perennial aquatic
plant. With broad, thick, glossy, ovate leaves, water hyacinth may rise above
the surface of the water as much as 1 meter in height6, 7. The leaves are 10–20 cm across, and float
above the water surface. They have long, spongy and bulbous stalks. The
feathery, freely hanging roots are purple-black. An erect stalk supports a
single spike of 8-15 conspicuously attractive flowers,
mostly lavender to pink in colour with six petals6,
7. In present study anthelmintic activity of
roots was screened.
EXPERIMENTAL
METHODS:
a)
Plant material: The roots of the plants are
collected from the Korangi village and shade dried.
The dried roots are made into pieces. The powder was stored in cellophane bags.
b)
Worm collection: Due to its anatomical
and physiological resemblance with the intestinal roundworm parasites of human
beings, Pheretima posthuma
(Indian earthworm) was
used for evaluating the anthelmintic activity8.
They were collected from local place, washed and kept in tyrode
solution.
c)
Extracts preparation: The
powdered roots are extracted successively in soxhlet
apparatus, using petroleum ether, ethanol respectively. The extracts were
evaporated to dryness and stored at 4°C until used.
d)
In vitro anthelmintic activity: Eighteen groups of approximately equal sized Indian earthworms
consisting of six earthworms in each group were released into 50 ml of desired
formulation. Three groups were prepared as control i.e. distilled water,
reference i.e. piperazine citrate (10mg/ml) and third
of extracts (25, 50,100 mg/ml).Observations were made for the time taken to
paralyze or death of individual worms. Paralysis was said to occur when the
worms do not receive any sense even in normal saline. Death was concluded when
the worms lose their motility followed with fading away of their body color,
when dipped in warm water (50 0C) 9, 10.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:
From
the results (table-1) it is observed that ethanolic
extract shows more potent activity.
The extracts are showing paralysis within 6-15 min while death is comparable
with that of piperazine citrate as death of worms was
observed at 64 min. Future scope involves need of isolation of phytoconstituents responsible for activity.
CONCLUSION:
From
the above results, it is concluded that Eichhornia crassipes roots showed significant anthelmintic
activity. The experimental evidence obtained in the laboratory model provides a
rationale for the traditional use of this plant as anthelmintic.
The plant may be further explored for its phytochemical
profile to recognize the active constituent accountable for anthelmintic
activity.
Table 1: anthelmintic activity of Eichhornia crassipes roots.
|
Name of the plant |
Type of extract |
Conc. (mg/ml) |
Time taken for paralysis (P)
and death (D) of worms in min ± SEM |
|
|
(P) |
(D) |
|||
|
Eichhornia crassipes |
Ethanolic |
25 |
13.36
± 1.6 |
62.41±10.6 |
|
50 |
7.22
± 1.6 |
49.20±3.9 |
||
|
100 |
4.11
± 1.8 |
40.64±10. |
||
|
Petroleum
ether |
25 |
14.42
± 2.6 |
63.98±12.1 |
|
|
50 |
7.36
± 1.3 |
49.31±3.5 |
||
|
100 |
4.92
± 1.2 |
41.85±11.6 |
||
|
Piperazine citrate |
10 |
22.63
± 1.9 |
61.01±6.6 |
|
|
Control |
----- |
----- |
----- |
|
Values
are Mean ± SEM; n=6 worms in each group *p< 0.05 is considered as
significant when compared with standard drug
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Received on 10.04.2013
Modified on 14.04.2013
Accepted on 07.05.2013
© A&V Publication all right
reserved
Research J. Pharmacology and
Pharmacodynamics. 5(3): May–June 2013, 183-184