In Vitro Evaluation of Fasciolicide Activity with Hexane, Methanol and Ethyl Acetate with Extracts Processed and Obtained from Some Mexican Plants Used in Traditional Medicine Based on Ethno Botanical Studies

Fasciolosis is a parasitic disease of world distribution affecting mainly domestic ruminants. The control of this disease is carried out using chemical fasciolicides which, in some cases, have been observed to have environmental problem such us pollution resistance. An alternative is to investigate extracts from plants with anti-Fasciola hepatica effects, taking advantage of the great diversity of flora of our country. The aim of this paper is to identify, assess and elucidate the anti-Fasciola hepatica effect in vitro using antiparasitic extracts of some plants used in Mexican ethno botany. We collected, dried, processed and tested in vitro about 20 plants with their respective chemical elements (hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol), obtaining results of a total of 60 extracts tested. The in vitro evaluations were carried out for 3 days, and the efficacy of each extract was compared with an untreated control group. Each test was repeated 6 times with 13 extracts that showed greater fasciolocide activity. Results from these 13 extracts tested ranged from 80% to 100% activity and the plants tested were: Castela tortuosa (chaparro amargo), Achillea millefolium (plumajillo), Thymus vulgaris (thyme), Justicia spicigera (muicle), Limpia critridora (cedron), Populus alba (Alamo), Mentha piperita (mint), Chenopodium graveolens (epazote de zorrillo), Lippia graveolens (oregano), Artemisia mexicana (estafiate) and Artemisia absinthium (wormwood), which is the hexane variable which showed higher fasciolicide capacity; using a dose of 500 gr/Lt in all the trials. Further in vitro studies should be conducted to obtain the LD50 of each extract to be able to isolate the main active element found in the hexane variable.