Development of anthelmintic resistance and high cost of conventional anthelmintic drugs led to the evaluation of medicinal plants as an alternative source of anthelmintics. Genus Ficus had already extensively explored for its rich chemical diversity and therapeutic effectiveness in inflammation, ulcers, cancer, hepatic and microbial diseases but their anthelmintic activity is not yet reported. In the present study, four extracts viz. petroleum ether, chloroform, ethanol and aqueous extract of bark of Ficus lacor was investigated for anthelmintic activity at three different concentrations. Three concentrations (50 mg/ml, 100 mg/ml and 150 mg/ml) of each extract were studied which included the determination of paralysis time and time of death of earthworms. Piperazine citrate (10 mg/ml) was used as standard drug and distilled water containing 2% Tween 80 was used as control. All the extracts exhibited dose dependant activity. The results indicated that ethanol extract (150 mg/ml) of plant was most effective in causing paralysis of earthworms, while both ethanol (150 mg/ml) and chloroform extracts (150 mg/ml) were very effective in causing death of earthworms.
Loading....