In-vitro Anthelmintic Activity of Saba Florida (Benth) Extracts Against Nigerian Adult Earth Worm (Terrestris lumbricoides)

Introduction: Saba florida (Benth) Apocynaceae is one of the African food/medicinal plants that has been applied traditionally for the management of many ill health conditions. Objectives: As part of efforts to authenticate the oral claims scientifically the plant’s leaf and stem bark extracts were evaluated for anthelmintic activity.
Methods: Standard procedures were used in the determination of anthelmintic activity study. Nigeria adult earthworms (Terrestris lumbricoides) were used for the study. Albendazole was used as standard. All the earthworms were washed in distilled water before they were released into a 20ml of respective formulations including the control, standard and extracts (10, 20, 50, and 100mg/ml).
Results: All the investigational extracts showed anthelmintic activity at the dose of 20mg/ml. Time taken for paralysis and death to occur were recorded for each sample. The aqueous extract showed better activity against the worms than the chloroform extract. The extracts’ anthelmintic activity was dose-dependent and comparable to the standard drug used.
Conclusion: From this study herbal drug and synthetic ones are equally effective in helminth infestations, but aqueous extract of the leaf of Saba florida showed higher anthelmintic activity potential than the chloroform extracts.

Author(s): Omale James and Ubimago Ojonugwa Thank God

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