Anthelmintic activity of Cassia auriculata L. extracts-In vitro study

Sucheta A Gaikwad et al J. Nat. Prod. Plant Resour., 2011, 1 (2): 62-66
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to tropical regions and pose a great threat to health and contribute to the prevalence of
malnutrition, anaemia, eosinophilia and pneumonia[3].Parasitic diseases cause severe morbidity
affecting mainly population in endemic areas with major economic and sol consequences[4]. The
gastro-intestinal helminthes becomes resistant to currently available anthelmintic drugs therefore
there is a foremost problem in treatment of helminthes diseases[5]. There is an increasing
demand towards natural anthelmintics. The plant C.auriculata L. is an aromatic more or less
deciduous shrub found through out India up to an altitude of 1,500 m commonly in forests. C.
auriculata L. (Caselpinaceae) is a tall, much branched bushy shrub growing wild throughout
forests and along roadsides and in wastelands. Literature survey reveals that leaves of C.
auriculata L are useful in treatment of leprosy, ulcers and have anthelmintic activity[6]. The
anthelmintic activity of quath extract of the leaves is reported[7]. The plant is reported for the
presence of polyphenolic compounds.anthelmintic activity, chemically tannins are polyphenolic
compounds[8]. Some synthetic phenolic anthelmintics e.g. niclosamide, oxyclozanide and
bithionol are shown to interfere with energy generation in helminth parasites by uncoupling
oxidative phosphorylation[9]. Another possible anthelmintic effect of tannins is that they can
bind to free protein in the gastrointestinal tract of host animal or glycoprotein on the cuticle of
the parasite and cause death[10].The present study investigates the anthelmintic activity of the
leaves for the different extracts with a view to justify the use of the plant in the treatment of
helminths.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
1. Plant materials and preparation of extracts
Cassia auriculata L was collected from Western Pune, Maharashtra, India. The taxonomic
identification was carried out with the help of Flora of Botany Presidency and Flora of
Maharashtra (Singh et al.2000) and herbaria were prepared by following standard methods. The
specimens were also compared with the authentic herbaria of BSI, Western circle
Pune,Maharashtra,India for confirming the identification, its number is BSI/WC/Tech/2009/95.
Air shade dried and pulverized plant material was used. Extracts were prepared using exact
weighed sample powder in the measured volume of solvents like, acetone, ethanol, methanol
and quath.Vaccum dried extracs are used for the experiment.Solvents used after distillation.
2. Phytochemical screening
Qualitative assay, for the presence of plant phytoconstituents such as carbohydrates, alkaloids,
glycosides, flavonoids, tannins and saponins were carried out on following standard procedure
[7,11].
3.Collection of Animal
The anthelmintic assay was carried as per the method of Ajaiyeoba et. al. [9,14] with minor
modifications[12,15]. The assay was performed on adult earthworm (Eicinia fetida) owing to its
anatomical and physiological resemblance with the intestinal roundworm parasites of human
beings[13,14]. Easy availability of earthworms prompts their extensive use for preliminary in
vitro evaluation of anthelmintic compounds[10]. Earthworms were provided and identified by
Dept. of Entomology, College of Agriculture, Pune,Maharashtra,India. All earthworms were of
approximately equal size (15 cm). They were washed with saline before experiment.
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