Objective: Development of anthelmintic resistance and high cost of conventional anthelmintic drugs led to the evaluation of medicinal plants as an alternative source of anthelmintics. The aim of the present study was to investigate the anthelmintic activity and antioxidant activity of the leaves of Epiprinus mallotiformis extract using adult earthworm, Pheritima posthuma.
Methods: The leaves extracts of Epiprinus mallotiformis at different concentrations of 20 mg/mL, 40 mg/mL, 60 mg/mL, 80 mg/mL and 100 mg/mL were tested, which involve determination of paralysis time and death time.
Results: It was found that the extract exhibited significant dose dependent anthelmintic activity. Piperazine citrate 10 mg/ml as standard reference. Whereas antioxidant activity of the extracts were performed by four method, DPPHÂ free radical scavenging activity, H2O2 scavenging activity, Reducing power assay and Metal chelating activity using ascorbic acid as a standard. The antioxidant activity was found more in the methanol extracts show comparable activity with ascorbic acid. In the metal chelating activity the petroleum ether show maximum activity when compare with chloroform and methanol.
Conclusion: The leaves extracts of Epiprinus mallotiformis possess antioxidant and anthelminthic property. Further investigations on in vivo antioxidant activity need to be carried out to unmask its mode of action.
Keywords: Epiprinus mallotiformis; anthelmintic; antioxidant; leaf extracts
