ABSTRACT:
Virudhunagar region of Tamil Nadu is inhabited by common people who are using several plants or plant- based preparations for the treatment of various ailments in their traditional system of medicine. During our course of study on ethnomedicine in this region, it was found that the plant being used as anthelmintic is seed of Ocimum basilicum Linn., (Lamiaceae). This plant has a wide reputation among natives of being curative for intestinal-worm infection in the form of alcoholic extract. Based on this an attempt has been made to evaluate the anthelmintic potential of this plant. The Chloroform and Ethanolic extracts of Ocimum basilicum Linn, (Lamiaceae) seeds were investigated for anthelmintic activity using earthworms (Pheretima posthuma). Various concentrations (25mg/ml, 50mg/ml and 75mg/ml) of plant extract were tested. Albendazole (25mg/ml, 50mg/ml and 75mg/ml) was used as reference standard drug whereas distilled water was used as control. Determination of paralysis and death time of the worms were recorded. The extract exhibited significant anthelmintic activity at a concentration of 50mg/ml. The results show that the ethanolic extract possesses vermicidal activity and found to be effective as an anthelmintic.