Evaluation of Anthelmintic Activities Ofacanthus Montanus(Acanthaceae)Leaf Extracts against Experimental Heligmosomoides Bakeri Infection in Mice.
ABSTRACT
Acanthus montanusnees T. Anderson (Acanthaceae)has been employed in folk medicine for treatment of different kinds of ailment, but there is dearth of documented information on its folkloric and pharmacological activities against parasites.
This study was designed to evaluate its anthelmintic property with the specific objectives of determining the phytochemical components, the maximum convenient concentrations (mccs), maximum convenient doses (mcds) and the lethal dose 50 (LD50); as well as evaluate the activity of the different portions of the leaf extract of the plant.
In this study, pulverizedacanthus montanusleafwas extracted and solvent-partitioned, yielding 25.58%, 31.42%, 11.58% and 3.00% weight by weight (w/w) of crude ethanol extract (CEE), aqueous (AQ), n-butanol (BUT) and chloroform (CHLO) portions respectively.
All the portions excluding the chloroform portion were administered to worm-infected miceper os at dose rates of 1.2 g/kg, 1.4 g/kg, 1.7 g/kg and 2.0g/kg each for five successivedays and faecal samples collected for those days and analyzed.
Mice were euthanized and the adult worm counted for rates of deparasitization. Analysis of variance was used to analyze the data obtained.
In mice experimentally infected with Heligmosomoidesbakeri, the aqueousportion did not cause significant deparasitization even at the highest dose rate of 2.0 g/kg compared to the distilled water-treated control group.
The crude ethanol extract caused significant (p<0.05)deparasitization rates of 64.44% and 72.35% at the 1.7 g/kg and 2.0 g/kg dose levels respectively.
The n-butanolportion caused significant deparasitization rates at all the four dose levels compared to figures from distilled water- treated control mice as well as those from mice treated with the aqueous or crude ethanol portion.
INTRODUCTION
Livestock is an important and sometimes overlooked element of the livelihood strategies of the poor. As much as 70% of the rural poor depend on livestock to some degree. Livestock holdings are diverse and include cattle, goats, sheep, pigs, poultry, horses, camels, yaks, and llamas.
An estimated 600 million poor people, including 150 million landless poor, own livestock (Delgado et al., 1999; Thornton et al., 2002; WRI, 2005).
Livestock are a crucial source of financial capital for the rural poor. For many, livestock ownership is the only form of savings available.
In fact, for pastoralists and often for poor women, livestock are the most important tangible asset they own. Livestock provide a critical reserve against emergencies and decrease vulnerability to financial shocks from ill health, crop failures, and other risks.
They yield direct benefits in the form of food, wool, or hides, and can raise farm productivity by providing manure and draught power (PPLPI,2003).
In spite of the enormous benefits accruing from livestock; the livestock industry is still largely faced with a lot of challenges that bring about reduced production and economic losses.
REFERENCES
Abdu-Aguye, I. (1997). Medical Herbal Research in West Africa. Paper presented at 24th Annual Regional Conference at the West African Society for Pharmacology (WASP) of Usman Danfodio University Sokoto, Nigeria.
Acuna, H., Concha, A. And Figueroa, M. (2008). Condensed tannins concentrations of three Lotus species grown in different environments. Chilean Journal of Agricultural Research, 68(1): 31-41.
Adamu, M., Nwosu, C.O. and Agbede, R.I.S. (2009). Anti-trypanosoma effects of Aqueous extract of Ocimum gratisssimum (Lamiaceae) leaf in rats infested with Trypanosome brucei brucei. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines, 6(3): 262-267.
Adamu, M., Oshadu, O.D. and Ogbaje, C.I. (2010). Anthelmintic efficacy of aqueous extract of Acanthus montanus leaf against strongylid nematodes of small ruminants. African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 7(4): 279 -285.
Adeyemi, O.A. (2009). Pharmacology and Phytochemistry of South African Plants used as Anthelmintics. M.Sc. Thesis, Research Centre for Plant Growth and Development School of Biological and Conservation Sciences University of Kwazulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.
Adeyemi, O.O., Okpo, S.O. and Young-Nwafor, C.C. (1999). The relaxant activity of the methanolic extract of Acanthus montanus on intestinal smooth muscles. Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 68(1-3): 169-173.
StudentsandScholarship Team.
Join Our Newsletter!
Don’t miss this opportunity
Enter Your Details
Be the first to comment