Haemonchus contortus: in vitro and in vivo anthelmintic activity of aqueous and hydro-alcoholic extracts of Hedera helix.

In vitro anthelmintic activity of crude extracts of the ripe fruits of Hedera helix was investigated on eggs and adult nematode parasites Haemonchus contortus. Aqueous extract of H. helix was also evaluated for in vivo anthelmintic activity at dose of 1.13 and 2.25 g/kg in sheep artificially infected with H. contortus. ED(50) for egg hatch inhibition was 0.12 and 0.17 mg/ml for aqueous and hydro-alcoholic extracts, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in the activity of the two extract types (p>0.05). Hydro-alcoholic extract showed better in vitro activity against adult parasites compared to the aqueous extract. Significant faecal egg count reduction (FECR) was detected in groups treated with both doses of H. helix (p<0.05) on day 2 post-treatment. On day 7 post-treatment significant reduction was detected only for higher dose of H. helix (p<0.05) while on day 14 post-treatment there was no significant FECR in both groups treated with H. helix. The percentage of larvae recovered from culturing faeces obtained from groups of sheep treated with lower and higher doses of H. helix was 47.52% and 36.07%, respectively, which was significantly lower than (p<0.05) that recovered from the control group (60%). Significant (p<0.05), dose dependent total worm count reduction (WCR) was observed for groups of sheep treated with H. helix. Increasing the dose of H. helix improved the efficacy against the male than the female parasites. Treatment with both doses of H. helix helped the animals maintain their packed cell volume (PCV) unlike the untreated control group. The overall findings of the current study indicated that H. helix has a potential anthelmintic benefit and further in vitro and in vivo evaluation of the different parts and fractions is needed to make use of this plant for therapeutic purposes.

In vitro and in vivo anthelmintic activity of crude extracts of Coriandrum sativum against Haemonchus contortus.

In vitro anthelmintic activities of crude aqueous and hydro-alcoholic extracts of the seeds of Coriandrum sativum (Apiaceae) were investigated on the egg and adult nematode parasite Haemonchus contortus. The aqueous extract of Coriandrum sativum was also investigated for in vivo anthelmintic activity in sheep infected with Haemonchus contortus. Both extract types of Coriandrum sativum inhibited hatching of eggs completely at a concentration less than 0.5 mg/ml. ED(50) of aqueous extract of Coriandrum sativum was 0.12 mg/ml while that of hydro-alcoholic extract was 0.18 mg/ml. There was no statistically significant difference between aqueous and hydro-alcoholic extracts (p>0.05). The hydro-alcoholic extract showed better in vitro activity against adult parasites than the aqueous one. For the in vivo study, 24 sheep artificially infected with Haemonchus contortus were randomly divided into four groups of six animals each. The first two groups were treated with crude aqueous extract of Coriandrum sativum at 0.45 and 0.9 g/kg dose levels, the third group with albendazole at 3.8 mg/kg and the last group was left untreated. Efficacy was tested by faecal egg count reduction (FECR) and total worm count reduction (TWCR). On day 2 post treatment, significant FECR was detected in groups treated with higher dose of Coriandrum sativum (p<0.05) and albendazole (p<0.001). On days 7 and 14 post treatment, significant FECR was not detected for both doses of Coriandrum sativum (p>0.05). Significant (p<0.05) TWCR was detected only for higher dose of Coriandrum sativum compared to the untreated group. Reduction in male worms was higher than female worms. Treatment with both doses of Coriandrum sativum did not help the animals improve or maintain their PCV while those treated with albendazole showed significant increase in PCV (p<0.05).

Pain management in mice using the aqueous and ethanol extracts of four medicinal plants.

BACKGROUND: There are many traditionally used analgesic plants in Ethiopia. They, however, have not been subject to scientific investigation for their efficacy and safety. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate both prophylactic and relieving effects of aqueous and ethanol extracts of four traditionally used medicinal plants in Ethiopia. DESIGN: An experimental design in which five group of albino mice weighing 30-35 grams representing positive and negative control, and extract treated groups respectively. The extracts, standard drugs and normal saline were administered into GIT by gavage to evaluate the analgesic effect. SETTING: Department of Drug Research at Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Research Institute and Department of Pharmacology at Faculty of Medicine, Addis Ababa university. METHODS: Analgesic effects of water and ethanol extracts of four plants were evaluated against distilled water and standard analgesics (morphine and acetylsalicylic acid) with acetic acid induced writhing tests in mice. The four plants used for this screening were Ocimum sauve, Ocimum lamiifolium, Lippia adoensis and Ajuga remota. RESULTS: All extracts of the four plant materials were observed to possess both inhibiting and treatment activities against acetic acid induced pain. Dose related analgesic effect was also observed with all extracts of all plants with different potencies. Ethanol extracts of all the four plant materials were more potent than their water extracts at all dose levels except O. sauve, and L. adoensis whose water extracts seem to be a bit more potent at low dose. The analgesic potencies of both extracts of all the four plants were shown to be less than those of the standard analgesics. Of all the extracts, the ethanol extract of O. lamiifolium was found to be the most potent, while its water extract was the least. Acetic acid induced writhing was relieved with medium dose of both extracts in most cases and with low dose in few. Hundred percent relief was achieved with both standard analgesics at a very low dose. CONCLUSION: The present study show that all the extracts of all the plant materials have got both inhibiting and relieving effects of pain.

Triterpenoid saponins and sapogenin lactones from Albizia gummifera.

The structures of two new monodesmosidic and bisdesmosidic triterpenoid saponins (1 and 2) and the known compound delta 5-stigmasterol-3-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3) as well as two new oleanane type triterpene lactone glycosides 4, 5 and a new sapogenin lactone 6 isolated from the stem bark of Albizia gummifera C.A. Smith (Mimosaceae) have been elucidated as 3-O-¿beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->2)-[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1-->6) ]-beta-D- glucopyranosyl¿-oleanolic acid (1), beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl 3-O-¿beta-D-glucopyra-nosyl(1-->2)-[alpha-L-arabinopyrano syl(1-->6)]-beta-D- glucopyranosyl¿-oleanolate (2), 3 beta-¿O-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)-[O-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1-->6 )] beta-D-glucopyranosyloxy¿-machaerinic acid gamma-lactone (4), 3 beta-O-beta-D-glucopyranosiduronic acid (1-->2)-beta-D-glucopyranosyloxy]-machaerinic acid gamma-lactone (5), and A-homo-3a-oxa-5 beta-olean-12-en-3-one-28-oic acid (6), respectively. The complete assignment of the 1H and 13C resonances of 1, 2, 4 and 6 and of the peracetate of 5 were achieved by means of 2D-NMR studies.

Steroidal saponins from Asparagus africanus.

The structures of two new monodesmosidic spirostanosides and a new bisdesmosidic furostanol glycoside isolated from the roots of Asparagus africanus Lam. (Liliaceae) have been elucidated as (25R)-3 beta-hydroxy-5 beta-spirostan-12-one 3-O-{beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)-[alpha-1-arabinopyranosyl-(1--> 6)]-beta- D-glucopyranoside} (1), (25R)-5 beta-spirostan-3 beta-ol 3-O-{beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)-[alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1--> 6)]-beta- D-glucopyranoside} (2) and 26-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]-22 alpha-methoxy-(25R)-furostan-3 beta,26-diol 3-O-{beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->2)-[beta-D-glucopyranoside} (3), respectively, by the combined use of one and two dimensional NMR experiments. The complete 13C and 1H assignments of the peracetyl spirostanosides and the furostanol oligoside were derived. The interconversions between the methoxyl and hydroxyl group at C-22 of the furostanol glycoside was investigated and the genuine furostanol oligoside of A. africanus appears to be the hydroxyl type based on the comparative study of the methanol, pyridine and dioxane extracts.