Antihelmintic Activity of Stem Bark Extract of Bridelia Retusa Spreng

The present study was undertaken to investigate antichelmintic activity of petroleum ether, chloroform, ethanol and aqueous extract of the stem bark of Bridelia retusa S. on adult African night crawlers (Eudrilus euginae) earthworms due to its anatomical and physiological similarity with the intestinal roundworm parasites of human being. Antihelmintic activity was investigated at 50 mg/ml for all the four extracts on earthworms and compared with standard piperazine citrate. The time of paralysis and death of the earthworms for piperazine citrate, petroleum ether, chloroform, ethanol and aqueous extract was noted. The death of earthworms occurred within few minutes of their paralysis. However, in control group, worms were observed for 24 hours and no paralysis or death was found during that period. In the present study, the extracts obtained using polar and non polar solvents were used for antihelmintic activity against earthworms. Comparing all extracts and standard of piperazine citrate at the same concentration (50 mg/ml), it was clear that chloroform extract showed significantly (p<0.05) better effect and hence higher antihelmintic activity in comparison to petroleum ether, ethanol and aqueous extract as well as that of standard, followed by ethanol extract which showed similar effects to standard while the rest of the extract showed poor effects. Thus indicating antihelmintic properties of the extract which may be attributed to the phytoconstituents present in it which needs further investigation.