IN VITRO EFFECT OF SYZYGIUM AROMATICUM ON THE MOTILITY AND ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE OF COTYLOPHORON COTYLOPHORUM

ABSTRACT Helminth parasites cause a wide variety of debilitating and frequently fatal diseases in animals. Paramphistomosis caused by the paramphistome Cotylophoron cotylophorum constitutes a major group of disease in domestic ruminants. The anthelmintic activity of Syzygium aromaticum on the motility and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity of the digentic trematode Cotylophoron cotylophorum was studied in vitro. The flukes were exposed to various concentrations of hexane, choloroform, ethyl acetate and ethanol extract of Syzygium aromaticum and the motility and mortality of the parasite were observed. As ethanol extract was very effective, further studies were carried out with five different sub lethal concentrations (0.005, 0.01, 0.5, 0.1 and 0.5 mg/ml) of ethanol extract of Syzygium aromaticum (SaEE). The electronic measurement of the motility of the treated parasites clearly indicate the direct impact of the drugs on the motility of the parasite. Maximum inhibition in the motility (86.27%) and AChE activity (86.86%) was observed in 0.5 mg/ml after 8h of exposure. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is an enzyme which is involved in neurotransmission. It is present in the cholinergic synapses in the central nervous system as well as in neuromuscular synapses where it rapidly hydrolyzes acetylcholine. Inhibition of AChE in the parasite results in muscular paralysis and the parasite lose its biochemical hold fast and get expelled from the host