Conjoined Efficacy of Antioxidants with Anthelmintics in Treatment of Helminthic Infection in Mice

“Back to nature” is an increased demand nowadays, for using plants in therapy “instead of using synthetic drugs that may have adverse effects. Grape seed extract (Proanthcyanidins) and Selenium possesses a wide array of pharmacological and biochemical actions. Hymenolepiasis and Passulurus infections are considered as common health problems worldwide. In the present study, Grape seed extract and Selenium were evaluated singly or in combination with Anthelmintics (Niclosamide or Mebendazole) in treatment of Hymenolepis nana, Hymenolepis diminuta and Passulurus ambiguous infections in 160 naturally infected mice. Treatment of H. nana & H. diminuta infected mice with Niclosamide (half therapeutic dose) gave an efficacy of 47% while on addition of Grape seed extract and Selenium the efficacy of the drug increased to 64%, 57% respectively (P ≤ 0.05). In case of Passulurus ambiguous infected group Mebendazole (half therapeutic dose) gave an efficacy of 50% (P ≤ 0.05). With addition of Grape seed extract and Selenium the efficacy of the drug was 55.3% for both. Complete disappearance of eggs in feces was obtained using full therapeutic dose of the specific drug alone while treatment using antioxidants alone revealed an efficacy ranging from (12.4-24.7%) in the two infected groups without significance (P ≤ 0.05). It is concluded that the use of medicinal plants hold hope of finding new Anthelmintics treatment as part of an integrated approach specifically designed to achieve sustainable parasite control.