Vermicidal Activity of Millettia Pachycarpa on the Nematode, Heterakis Gallinarum

The stem and root barks, leaves and seeds of Millettia pachycarpa Benth. are used for various medicinal purposes in Chinese and Mizo traditional practices. The plant extract reportedly showed potent vermicidal activity on cestodes. The ethanol extract of the root bark was tested against the poultry nematode, Heterakis gallinarum Schrank. In vitro treatment at 37±1°C revealed that a serial dose of the plant extract caused dose-dependent vermicidal effect on the worm (significant efficacy at P<0.05), except at the lowest dose (i.e. 5 mg/mL). A broad-spectrum drug albendazole also exhibited similar effect but with higher potency at all doses applied. The nematode treated with 80 mg/mL of the plant extract caused apparent destruction on the morphological structure, mostly of severe distortion in the cuticular organization throughout the body topography. Collapse of the lips and contraction of the body proper with prominent folding of the cuticle at the cephalic region were clearly discernible. At the posterior end were also extensive disintegration of the cuticle along with shrivelled cloacal mount and caudal papillae. INTRODUCTION: Helminth parasites remain one of the major concerns in human health, particularly in developing countries where they inflict serious morbidity among children, and the principal cause of economic loss in livestock production. The problem is compounded by development of resistance in helminths to all kinds of antihelmintic drugs . Major efforts have been deployed in investigating medicinal plants to combat the pervasive helminth infections . Millettia pachycarpa Benth. (Family: Fabaceae) is a leguminous perennial climbing tree native to southeast Asian region where it is used in various traditional practices. The root bark, seed and leaf are commonly used as a blood tonic, treatment of infertility, fish stupefying, anticancer and insecticidal agents 3, . A number of novel bioactive compounds is identified from the plant, of which barbigerone and isoflavones such as erysenegalensein E, isoerysenegalensein E, 6, 8-diprenylorobol, millewanins G and H, furowanin A and B, and auriculasin were all demonstrated to have antiestrogenic activity . Following the traditional usage of the Mizo tribes of north-east India, the extract of the root bark was demonstrated to have potent vermicidal activity against the cestode, Raillietina echinobothrida 8, . This study is the first attempt to examine the antinematodal activity of the plant against a poultry cecal roundworm, Heterakis gallinarum Schrank. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Plant Material: The fresh roots of M. pachycarpa were collected from the nearby forest of Aizawl, Mizoram, India. Identification and authentication of the plant material were reported earlier . The root barks were peeled off, thoroughly washed with deionized water, cut into small pieces, and dried in a hot air oven at 50°C. The dried parts were macerated to fine powder and then refluxed with ethanol (100 g/L) for 8 h at 60°C.