Pharmacognostical and pharmacological study on TAW-KYET-THUN reputed for anthelminthic action

TAW-KYET-THUN, an indigenious Myanmar medicine plant whose bulb is being claimed by the country-folks to be effective in purging intestinal roundworms, was identified to be Urginea indica Kunth. Phytochemically, it consists of steroidal and flavonoid glycosides. On the in vitro test model of Asxaris suum the 50 per cent alcoholic bulb extract indicated its anthelminthic efficacy by significantly immobilizing the parasite within 4-6 hours, with respect to both the frequency and the magnitude of motility of the worm; however, an initial stimulatory action on the parasite was observed, a situation which is undesirable. Acute toxicity of the bulb extract tested on mice showed the LD 50s to be 52(41-66) mg/kg when administered intraperitoneally, and 680 (555-833) mg/kg, orally.