Abstract

STUDY OF ANTHELMINTIC ACTIVITY OF ARGEMONE MEXICANA ROOTS AGAINST INDIAN EARTHWARM

Prathamesh B. Gund*, Rutuja B. Humbe and Priyanka K. Shinde

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Abstract

Mexicana is a prickly herbaceous plant with pinnately lobed leaves and a terminal, yellow bloom; the fruit is a thorny capsule. The stem is greenish. Under the microscope, the fresh leaf and the dry aerial parts were found to contain epidermal cells with actinocytic stomata, lacticifers, palisade cells, vascular bundle, fibers, and collenchyma cells. The presence of lignins, tannins, starch, calcium oxalate, oils, and proteins was detected by chemomicroscopy. Carbohydrates, alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, saponins, sterols, and triterpenoids were detected by phytochemical screening. The moisture content (8.2%), total ash value (16.7%), acid-insoluble ash value (2.9%), water-soluble ash value (4.8%), ethanol-soluble extractive value (17.2%), and watersoluble extractive value (34.3%) were the physicochemical parameters that were observed. Also measured are six minerals: Fe, Cu, Mn, Mg, Pb, and Cd.

Keywords: Argemone mexicana, Earthwarm, Methanol, Anthelmentic activity.