Introduction

Erythrina indica Lam is a middle sized tree belongs to the family Papilionaceae. The Bark, Leaves and Juice are being used in the traditional system of medicine for the treatment of various ailments such as liver trouble, convulsion, arthritis, etc.₁₂ The present study was aimed to carryout anthelmintic activity of Ethanol, Chloroform and Ethyl acetate extracts leaves of Erythrina indica against Pheritima Posthuma.

Materials And Methods

The leaves were collected from Madurai District, Tamilnadu, India and authenticated by Dr. Stephen, Dept. of Botany, The American College, Madurai, Tamilnadu, India. A voucher specimen (EI 1) have been kept in our laboratory for future reference.

Preparation of the extract

Anthelmintic activity

The method described by Dash et al₄₅ was employed for evaluating anthelmintic activity. Pheritima posthuma (obtained from horticulture department, Madurai, Tamilnadu, India) of approximately equal size (15 Cm) was divided in to seven groups. Each group consists of six earth worms of same type and treated with any of the following.

Fifty milliliter of test solution containing 50 and 100 mg /ml of test extracts (Ethanol, Chloroform and Ethyl acetate extract of leaves of Erythrina indica) and Piperazine citrate (10mg/kg).

The Mean time of paralysis and death was recorded in minutes. The paralysis time was recorded when no movement of any sort could be observed except when the worms were shaken vigorously. Time for death of worms were recorded when worms were neither moved while shaken vigorously nor when dipped in warm water (50°C).

Figure 1

Table 1: Anthelmintic effect of leaves of Lam on Pheritima posthuma

Mean ± S.E.M, Student ‘‘t’‘ test, *P< 0.001 (Compared to standard) was considered significant.

Statistical analysis

Result And Discussion

Ethanol, chloroform and ethyl acetate extracts of leaves of EI showed significant anthelmintic activity (table.1) at the concentration 50 mg/ml and 100mg/ml against Pheritima poshthuma. Activity was found to be increased with dose (shortest time of paralysis and death was observed at 100 mg/ml) and the activity was comparable to the well known anthelmintic agent Piperazine citrate.

Indian earth worms resembles intestinal round worm parasite of human beings.₆₇₈ Anthelmintic activity of Piperazine citrate mediated through hyper polarization that leads to muscle relaxation and flaccid paralysis.₉ Tannins produced anthelmintic activity by binding to free protein in the gastrointestinal tract of the host animal₁₀ or glycoprotein on the cuticle of the parasite.₁₁Phenolic compounds (tannins are poly phenolic compounds₁₂) by uncoupling oxidative phosphorylation hinder the energy production in helminth parasites.₁₃ Phytochemical analysis of leaves of Erythrina indica revealed the presence of tannins as one of the constituent. Anthelmintic property of Erythrina indica may due to either or both of above mechanism. The present study conclude the fork claim use of Erythrina indica as anthelmintic and required further study to determine the mechanism involved and constituent responsible for anthelmintic property.

Correspondence to

M.Jesupillai, S/O K.Muthuchellam, Kakkoor-623711, Mudukulathur (tk), Ramanathapuram (dt), Tamilnadu, India. E-mail: Javaharpillai@rediffmail.com