Anthelmintic Activity

Context: Bombax ceiba is a large deciduous tree found in tropical and sub-tropical regions of Asia, Africa, and Australia. Traditional systems of medicine such as Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani have been highlighted the use of B. ceiba parts (bark, leaves, and flower) for the treatment of numerous ailments like algesia, hepatotoxicity, hypertension, HIV infections, fever, dysentery, inflammation, catarrhal affection, ulcer, acne, gynecological disorders, piles and urinary infections. However, no scientific pharmacognostic, phytochemical and pharmacological study has been reported for B. ceiba thorn.

Aims: To study the pharmacognostic and pharmacological potentials of B. ceiba thorn extract.

Methods: The physicochemical properties were determined using pharmacopoeial tests. The phytochemical screening was carried out using standard protocols. The in vitro anti-inflammatory activity was performed by human red blood cells stabilization method, in vitro anthelmintic activity by Pheretima posthuma method, in vitro antioxidant activity by DPPH scavenging method, and anti-microbial studies by agar streak dilution method against bacteria E. coli, B. subtilis, K. pneumonia, and fungi C. albicans and A. niger.

Results: The hydroalcoholic thorn extract of Bombax ceiba (TEBC) showed significant anti-inflammatory (46.9% stabilization), anthelmintic (death at 59.22 min), in vitro anti-oxidant (41.62% inhibition), and anti-microbial activities (B. subtilis > E. coli > K. pneumonia; A. niger > C. albicans).

Conclusions: The study revealed the physicochemical, photochemical and pharmacognostic features of thorn of the B. ceiba. The study also revealed the possession of different pharmacological potentials of extract.

Schistosomiasis, caused by blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma, still imposes a considerable public health burden on large parts of the world. The control of this disease depends almost exclusively on the drug praziquantel, and there are no alternative drugs in sight. Natural compounds have recently attracted significant attention due to their relevance to parasitic infection and potential development into new therapeutic agents. Epiisopiloturine is an imidazole alkaloid isolated from the leaves of Pilocarpus microphyllus (Rutaceae), a native plant from Brazil. Here, we report the in vitro effect of this drug on the survival time of Schistosoma mansoni of different ages, such as 3 h old and 1, 3, 5, and 7 days old schistosomula, 49-day-old adults, and on egg output by adult worms. Epiisopiloturine at a concentration of 300 μg/mL caused the death of all schistosomula within 120 h. Extensive tegumental alterations and death were observed when adult schistosomes had been exposed to 150 μg/mL of the epiisopiloturine. At the highest sub-lethal dose of alkaloid (100 μg/mL), a 100% reduction in egg laying of paired adult worms was observed. Additionally, epiisopiloturine showed selective antischistosomal activity and exhibited no cytotoxicity to mammalian cells. This report provides the first evidence that epiisopiloturine is able to kill S. mansoni of different ages and inhibit worm egg laying.

In the present study, the antimicrobial, antioxidant and anthelmintic activities of the plant Buxus papillosa C.K. Schneid. were evaluated. The crude extracts of powdered plant material were taken in a series of polar and nonpolar solvents, petroleum ether, chloroform, methanol and distilled water. The plant was found potent against pathogenic microbes, i.e. Staphylococcus aureus, Staphyllococcus saprophyticus, Escherchia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Aspergillus parasiticus and Rhizopus oryzae, because well-defined zones of inhibition were recorded. The antioxidant activity of all the plant extracts was studied by DPPH Assay, total antioxidant assay and total phenolic assay and the remarkable values comparable with the standard antioxidants (BHT and α Tocopherol) were recorded. For the determination of anthelmintic activity standard Levamisole was run against Haemonchus contortus worms and compared with all the extracts.