Molluscicidal Effect of Medicinal Plant Euphorbia tirucalli on the Harmful Snails in Experimental Ponds

Snail borne infections are of significant importance in livestock production in India especially in eastern Uttar Pradesh. Snails Lymnaea acuminata and Indoplanorbis exustus live in muddy vicinity and standing water and act as the intermediate hosts of the parasitic disease fascioliasis in the livestock. This disease is responsible for significant economic losses due to negative effects to animal health and productivity. A better approach to tackle the problem is to destroy the carrier snails and remove an essential link in the life cycle of the flukes. In the present study, toxic effect of acetone extract of stem bark of plant Euphorbia tirucalli were performed against two harmful snails L. acuminata and I. exustus in the experimental pond. The toxicity of acetone extract was time as well as dose dependent and there was a significant negative correlation between LC values and exposure periods, thus the LC value was decreased from 53.58 mg/L (24h) 50 to 19.47 mg/L (96h) in pond. Similar results were obtained in the case of snail I. exustus. Sub lethal doses of the plant extract changed the biochemical profiles of both snails significantly. So, it can be concluded that this extract was toxic against both the snails in pond. Therefore, it can be said that acetone extract of E. tirucalli plant is toxic against both snails and can be helpful in management of fascioliasis disease eco-friendly.