Anthelmintic activity of praziquantel and Spilanthes acmella extract on an intestinal cestode parasite

Spilanthes acmella Murr., popularised as toothache plant, is a well-known culinary and medicinal plant for different purposes, but its use as an anthelmintic is apparently exclusive to the Mizo people of India and Myanmar. A chloroform extract of Spilanthes acmella Murr. was analysed in a single quadrupole GC-MS system, from which it was found that the major compound was an alkylamide, N-isobutyl-(2E,4Z,8Z,10E)-dodecatetraenamide. A comparative study was performed on the anthelmintic activity of the plant extract and praziquantel (PZQ) against an intestinal cestode, Raillietina echinobothrida. In terms of efficacy, PZQ was more potent, but the plant extract was also effective at all concentrations tested. PZQ caused severe shrinkage and folds of the tegument, constriction of the suckers, dislocation of spines and erosion of microtriches. The plant extract caused shrinkage and folds on the main body but not on the scolex. Damage on the suckers is more pronounced than in PZQ-treated cestodes. The spines were completely removed. The current findings indicate that S. acmella is a good source of compounds with anthelmintic activity

Phytochemical analysis, and antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Alstonia scholaris from Mizoram, India

The Devil’s tree (Alstonia scholaris (L.) R.Br.), a member of the Apocynaceae family, is recognised in various traditional systems for its efficacy in treating several diseases. In the Mizo traditional medicines of India, the bark extract is utilised as a remedy for bacterial and parasitic infections, among other ailments. To validate the therapeutic claim of the Mizo people, a methanolic extract of the bark was prepared and its chemical composition was analysed. The extract was found to contain alkaloids, carbohydrates, flavonoids, glycosides, phytosterols, saponins, tannins, and reducing sugars. The antioxidant components of the extract were quantified, revealing a phenolic content of 13.563±0.09 mg/g quercetin equivalent, a flavonoid content of 31.64±2.50 mg/g gallic acid equivalent, and a total antioxidant of 10.48±0.84 mg/g ascorbic equivalent. These findings underscore the plant’s cellular protective capacity. Furthermore, the antioxidant activities were assessed using 2,2-diphenyl-1-1-picryldrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays. The plant extract exhibited significant antioxidant properties, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 11.01 against free radicals generated from the DPPH reaction. Notably, the extract demonstrated broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against Gram-negative bacteria, including Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi, as well as Gram-positive species such as Bacillus cereus, Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus. This study establishes A. scholaris as a medicinal plant with promising antimicrobial and pharmacological properties, containing chemical components that can be harnessed for therapeutic purposes

Intestinal cestodes of chicken are effectively killed by quinoline-rich extract of Spilanthes acmella

Background and Aim: Spilanthes acmella is used for the treatment of intestinal helminth infections in Mizo traditional medicine. In spite of a variety of drugs developed for helminthiases, an entirely safe and absolutely effective drug is still lacking, so much so that infections remain a major problem in human and animal welfare. In this study, we attempted to substantiate S. acmella as an anticestodal agent. Materials and Methods: The aqueous extract of the aerial parts of S. acmella was prepared and from it a bioactive fraction was obtained using column chromatography. Chemical analyses were done using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Helminth survival test was performed in vitro on an intestinal cestode, Raillietina tetragona. Structural effects on the cestode were examined under scanning electron microscopy. Results: From the bioactive fraction of S. acmella extract, TLC indicated the presence of an aromatic quinone, which was identified using GC–MS as a quinoline derivative (2,2,4-trimethyl-1,2-dihydroquinoline having a retention time of 24.97 min and chemical formula of C12H15N). The quinoline-rich fraction showed concentration-dependent activity against R. tetragona as that of albendazole. Scanning electron microscopy of the treated cestode revealed classic anthelmintic effects such as tegumental shrinkage and damage of surface organs. The scolex was shrunk, suckers were degenerated with disintegrated spines, and rostellum was completely collapsed. There were severe damages on the tegument and formation of pit-like scars on the proglottids. Conclusion: The efficacy of S. acmella extract and structural damages it caused on the cestode indicates that it is a potential source of anthelmintic agent and that 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,2-dihydroquinoline contributes to its antiparasitic activity