Evaluation of Anthelmintic Activity of Cassia tora L. Leaves against Pheretima Posthuma

 

M. Mate, A.S. Kulkarni , P.P. Mehta , S.P. Dhamane

JSPM’s Jayawantrao Sawant College of Pharmacy and Research, Hadapsar, Pune-411028, India.

*Corresponding Author E-mail: preetigandhi2007@gmail.com

 

Helminthic diseases have a worldwide distribution. Development of resistance to anthelmintic drugs has led to the evaluation of medicinal plants as an alternative source of anthelmintics in the present study aqueous extracts of Cassia tora L. leaves were evaluated for in-vitro anthelmintic activity at concentrations of 10, 25 and 50 mg/ml against Pheretima posthuma obtained from the soil. Results were expressed in terms of time for paralysis and time for death of worm. Albendazole (10mg/ml) was used as reference standard. Aqueous extract at concentration of 10 mg/ml showed comparable anthelmintic activity with standard while aqueous extracts of concentration 25 and 50 mg/ml found to be more potent than albendazole. The obtained results provide a support for the use of this plant in traditional medicine and suggest its further investigation.

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

Helminthiasis has been an old courage for humans. The disease is highly prevalent particularly in third world countries due to poor management practices. Drug resistance has been seen in animals and it would be a matter of time that it would occur in humans also. After Ivermectin, not many newer drugs have entered the clinical trials to combat the continuously increasing resistance among the various helminth species. Since ancient times, plants have been an exemplary source of medicine. Increasing problems of development of resistance in helminthes against anthelmintic have led to the proposal of screening medicinal plants for their anthelmintic activity.¹

 

Cassia Tora L., (Cassia obtusifolia L.), Caesalpiniaceae,is a wild crop and grows in most parts of India as a weed. According to Ayurveda the leaves and seeds are acrid, laxative, antiperiodic, anthelmintic, ophthalmic, livertonic, cardiotonic and expectorant.^1,2 The leaves and seeds are useful in leprosy, ringworm, flatulence, colic, dyspepsia, constipation, cough, bronchitis, cardiac disorders and it is most popular ingredient in Ayurvedic formulation Chakramadha tailam.^3,4,5  Warmed leaves reduce gout, sciatica and joint pain. Chemical component of cassia tora are anthraquinones (3); chrysophanol, emodin, obtusifolin, obtusin, chryso-obtusin, aurantio-obtusin, and their glycosides.

 

Naphthopyrones 4; rubrofusarin, norrubrofusarin, rubrofusaringentiobioside, Toralactone, torachrysone ^6,7,8. The objective of this work was to evaluate the anthelmintic activity of hydroalcoholic and aqueous extracts of Caesalpinia pulcherrima stem bark on worms.

 

Materials and Methods:

Collection of plant and Authentication:

Fresh leaves of Cassia tora L. were collected from the Pune District of Maharashtra, India. The plant was authenticated from Botanical survey of India, Pune (Ministry of environment and forest) –A voucher specimen No- MNM-1.

 

Preliminary phytochemical investigation:

Phytoconstitutents were detected by applying qualitative chemical tests on aqueous extracts of Cassia tora L. leaves.

 

Preparation of extract:

The leaves after collection were shade dried, powdered to get a coarse powder. The dried powdered material (80gm) was thoroughly mixed to which 250 ml of water was added. Then the solution was kept for maceration for about 7 days. The aqueous extract obtained was filtered and concentrated on hot plate.

 

Table No. 1: Arrangement of the Petri dishes, earthworm, plant extract and standard drug

Petri dish no.1	Earthworms+50 ml of the Albendazole (10mg/ml)
Petri dish no.2	Earthworms+50 ml of the aq. extract (10mg/ml)
Petri dish no.3	Earthworms+50 ml of the aq. extract (25mg/ml)
Petri dish no.4	Earthworms+50 ml of the aq. extract (50mg/ml)
Petri dish no.5	Earthworms+50 ml of 1%gum acacia in saline water

 

Table No.2: Data of time taken for paralysis and death of earthworms:

Drug	Concentration (mg/ml)	Time For Paralysis(min) Mean±SEM	Time For Death(min) Mean±SEM
Normal saline(50ml)	-	-	-
Albendazole	10	50.35±0.1070	75.92±0.29
Aqueous Extract	10	56.42±1.4720***	82.29±1.8340***
Aqueous Extract	25	23.43±0.3586***	46.73±0.5654***
Aqueous Extract	50	19.03±0.2561***	37.36±0.9521***

Data are found to be significant by testing through one way ANOVA (***p<0.001)

 

Various concentrations (10, 25 and 50 mg/ml) of aqueous extract were made with the help of 1% acacia and normal saline solution. All the solutions were evaluated for anthelmintic activity. Albendazole solution (10mg/ml) was prepared similarly and used as standard.

 

Experimental Model:

Adult earthworms, Pheretima posthuma, were collected (due to their anatomical and physiological resemblance with the intestinal roundworm parasites of human beings ⁹) from moist soil and washed with normal saline to remove all faecal matter.

 

Anthelmintic activity:

The anthelmintic assay was carried out as per the method of Ajaiyeoba et al¹⁰. The experiment was carried out in five groups with six worms in each group as shown in Table 1.

 

The standard Albendazole (10mg /ml) and the test solutions of Cassia tora L. (10, 25 and 50 mg/ml) were evaluated for Anthelmintic activity. Observations were made for the time taken for paralysis and death of individual worms. The mean paralysis time and mean lethal time of each extract was recorded. Paralysis was said to be occurred when worms did not revive even in normal saline. Death was concluded when worm lost their motility followed with fading away of theirbodycolor.

 

RESULT AND DISCUSSION:

Preliminary Phytochemical screening:

The phytochemical screening showed that aqueous extract contain alkaloids, gums and mucilage, flavonoids, glycosides, tannins, steroids and Triterpenoids.

 

Anthelmintic activity:

Data of anthelmintic activity of Cassia tora L. aqueous extracts is shown in table 2. The extracts of Cassia tora (L.) leaves produced a significant anthelmintic activity in dose dependent manner. From the experimental work it was observed that aqueous extract of concentration 25mg/ml have higher activity than that of 10mg/ml concentration of standard which was confirmed from their paralysis time 23.43±0.3586 and death time 46.73±0.5654. The aqueous extract was found to possess interestingly good level of Anthelmintic activity. The leaves of Cassia tora not only demonstrated paralysis, but also caused death of worms especially at lower concentration of aqueous extract 25mg/ml in short time as compared to low dose of standard drug Albendazole (10mg/ml). 

 

CONCLUSION:

As all the three concentrations of aqueous extract of Cassia tora (L.) leaves show potent anthelmintic activity the traditional use of the leaves of Cassia tora L. as Anthelmintic has been confirmed. Further it would be interesting to isolate the possible phytoconstituents which are responsible for the anthelmintic activity and further studies are needed to establish the mechanisms of action.

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

The authors are thankful to the Principal and management of JSPM’s Jayawantrao Sawant College of Pharmacy and Research, Hadapsar, Pune for providing necessary facilities to carry out present research work.

 

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Accepted on 03.07.2013         © RJPT All right reserved