In-vitro anthelmintic activity of three Bangladeshi plants against Paramphistomum cervi and Haemonchus contortus.

BACKGROUND: Conventional plant-based therapies act as an important therapeutic tool for the treatment of worm infections all over the world and continuous evaluation of medicinal plants to find new potential lead compounds should be carried out. METHODS: In-vitro analysis was conducted to evaluate the probable anthelmintic effect of crude aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts of Ananas sativus leaves, Erythrina variegata barks and Alocasia indica rootstocks, against adult Paramphistomum cervi (Trematoda) and Haemonchus contortus (Nematode). RESULTS: Among all three concentrations (25, 50, and 100 mg/mL), the hydroalcoholic leaf extract of A. sativus exhibited paralysis and death time ranged between 7.26 to 26.76 min and 15.40 to 35.55 min respectively for P. cervi while that for H. contortus was 14.70 to 42.43 min and 23.43 to 56.34 min, respectively. Moreover, aqueous extract exhibited paralysis and death time ranged between 7.66 to 28.72 min and 18.30 to 33.00 min, respectively, for P. cervi whereas paralysis and death time ranged between 23.34 to 37.88 min and 31.08 to 58.30 min respectively for H. contortus. Both extracts of E. variegata bark and A. indica tuber showed comparatively less significant anthelmintic activity. All results were statistically significant (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A. sativus leaf displayed favorable anthelmintic activity on both P. cervi and H. contortus, whereas E. variegata barks and A. indica rootstocks showed insignificant result.

Preliminary pharmacological evaluation of Alocasia indica Schott tuber.

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate potential antioxidant, antidiarrheal, cytotoxic, and antibacterial activities of the ethanol extract of Alocasia indica Schott tuber in different experimental models established in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: In vitro antioxidant activity was evaluated by 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging assay. Phenolic content was estimated by using Folin-Ciocalteu's reagent while reducing ability was measured by ferric reducing power assay. In vivo antidiarrheal studies were carried out in mice, and the activity was evaluated in castor oil and magnesium sulfate-induced diarrhea. Disk diffusion assay was utilized to determine antibacterial activity against a number of pathogenic bacterial strains. Acute toxicity test was carried out to measure the safe doses for the extract. RESULTS: In DPPH radical-scavenging assay, the extract exhibited strong radical-scavenging activity with the 50% inhibitory concentration value of 42.66 µg/mL. Total phenolic content was found to be 542.26 mg gallic acid equivalent per 100 g of dried tuber extract, whereas flavonoid content was found to be 4.30 mg quercetin equivalent/g of dried tuber extract. In reducing power assay, the extract showed strong reducing power in a concentration-dependent manner. The extract significantly (P < 0.01) enhanced the latent period and decreased defecation in both castor oil- and magnesium sulfate-induced diarrhea. The extract also lessened gastrointestinal motility in mice. Potential antibacterial activity was exhibited by the extract against all the tested bacterial strains in disk diffusion assay. The 50% lethal concentration against brine shrimp nauplii was 81.09 µg/mL. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrated that the ethanol extract of A. indica has potential antioxidant, antidiarrheal, cytotoxic, and antibacterial activity.