Anthelmintic Activity of Fruit Peel and Root Extracts of Trapa natans L. var. bispinosa Roxb

The present study was aimed to evaluate anthelmintic activity of aqueous and methanolic extract of Trapa natans L.var. bispinosa Roxb fruit peels and root. The plant commonly known as “Water Chestnut” in India and is an annual aquatic floating herb occurring throughout the Indian subcontinent and used traditionally for several medicinal purposes. The effect of this plant was evaluated for anthelmintic activity on adult Indian earthworms Pheritima posthuma and aquarium worm Tubifex tubifex. Three concentrations viz., 5, 10 and 20 mg/ml of each extracts were studied to determine the time of paralysis and time of death. Results showed that the alcoholic extracts exhibited significant anthelmintic activity at highest concentration of 20 mg/ml. Piperazine citrate in 10mg/ml concentration was evaluated as standard reference and distilled water as control. Methanolic fruit peel extract showed anthelmintic activity in dose-dependent manner giving shortest time of paralysis (P) and time of death (D) with 20 mg/ml concentration, for both worms. The alcoholic extract of peel shows more potent activity (20 mg/ml) against both worms and demonstrated first time fruit peel extract of Trapa natans possess potential antihelmentic activity.