Abstract

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ANTHEHELMINTIC ACTIVITY OF METHANOLIC AND AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF LEAVES OF RICINUS COMMUNIS LINN

P. Prapulla*

Abstract

The main objective of the present study is an attempt to explore the anthehelmintic activity of crude methanolic and aqueous extract of leaves of Ricinus communis Linn in a comparative study using adult Indian earth worm Pheretima posthuma as test worm. Various concentrations of (25, 50, 100 mg/ml) of methanolic and aqueous extract s were tested in the bioassay, which involved the determination of time of paralysis (P) and time of death (D) of the worms. Albendazole was included as standard reference and distilled water as control. The results of present research work was observed that the methanolic extract of Ricinus communis Linn leaves is more potent activity (time of paralysis was found to be 06.00 ± 0.47 min, and time of complete death of worm was found to be 13.58 ± 0.77 min) than the aqueous extract (time of paralysis was found to be 16.08 ± 0.28 min, and time of complete death of worm was found to be 72.00 ± 0.26 min) and their activity was comparable with the standard drug Albendazole at the concentration of 100 mg/ml. In conclusion, the traditional use of leaves of the plant of Ricinus communis Linn as an helmintholytic activity have been confirmed and further studies are suggested to isolate the active principles responsible for activity.

Keywords: Albendazole, Antihelmentic, Ricinus communis Linn, Pheretima posthuma.