Potential antifilarial activity of fruit extracts of Ficus racemosa Linn. against Setaria cervi in vitro.

Effect of alcoholic and aqueous extracts of the fruits of F. racemosa Linn., on the spontaneous movements of both the whole worm and nerve muscle preparation of Setaria cervi and on the survival of microfilariae in vitro was studied. Alcoholic as well as aqueous extracts caused inhibition of spontaneous motility of whole worm and nerve muscle preparation of Setaria cervi characterized by increase in amplitude and tone of contractions. Initial stimulatory effect was not observed with aqueous extract on whole worm preparation, while effect of alcoholic extract on whole worm and nerve muscle preparation was characterized by an increase in amplitude and tone of contractions followed by paralysis. The concentrations required to inhibit the movement of the whole worm and nerve muscle preparation for alcoholic extract of fruits of F. racemosa were 250 and 50 microg/ml, respectively, whereas aqueous extract caused inhibition of the whole worm and nerve muscle preparation at 350 and 150 microg/ml, respectively, suggesting a cuticular barrier. Both alcoholic and aqueous extracts caused death of microfilariae in vitro. LC50 and LC90 were 21 and 35 ng/ml, respectively for alcoholic, which were 27 and 42 ng/ml for aqueous extracts.

Antifilarial activity of Mallotus philippensis Lam. on Setaria cervie (Nematoda: Filarioidea) in vitro.

The effect of aqueous and alcoholic extracts of the leaves of Mallotus philippensis (Lam.) Muell. Arg. was studied on the spontaneous movements of the whole worm and nerve-muscle (n.m.) preparation of Setaria cervi and on the survival of microfilariae in vitro. Both the extracts caused inhibition of spontaneous motility of whole worm and the n.m. preparation of S. Cervi characterized by initial stimulation followed by depression in amplitude. The tone and rate of contractions remained visibly unaffected. Aqueous extract at higher concentration showed immediate reduction in tone. The concentration required to inhibit the movements of n.m. preparation was 1/5th for aqueous and 1/11th for alcoholic extract compared to that for the whole worm, suggesting a cuticular permeability barrier. The stimulatory response of acetylcholine was blocked by aqueous extract on whole worm movements. On the microfilariae the LC50 and LC90 were 18 and 20 ng/ml for aqueous and 12 and 15 ng/ml for alcoholic extracts respectively.