IN VITRO ANTHELMINTIC EFFECTS OF SENNA OCCIDENTALIS (L.) LINK (LEGUMINOSAE) ON RAT TAPEWORM HYMENOLEPIS DIMINUTA

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the anthelmintic activity of ethanolic leaf extract of Senna occidentalis on rat tapeworm Hymenolepis diminuta . Methods: Adult H. diminuta worms were obtained from laboratory maintained infection in rats. Different concentrations of crude ethanolic leaf extracts of S. occidentalis were tested in vitro on H. diminuta and praziquantel (PZQ) was used as reference drug. The efficacy of plant was assessed on the basis of motility of the worms. The anthelmintic effects were also evaluated using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Results: A dose dependent efficacy was observed in all the experiments. At the highest concentration (80 mg/ml), the mortality of worms was recorded in 12.82±0.24 hrs. The scanning electron microscope observations of extract treated worms showed irrevocable destruction all over the body tegument,which was accompanied with sloughing of microthriches and shrinkage of scolex. Whereas, the transmission electron micrography of treated worms revealed destruction of the syncytial layer along with sparse cytoplasmic cytons and depletion of parenchymatous layer. Exposure of basal lamina, decrease in an electron lucency in the nucleus and intense vacuolization was also observed in our study. Conclusion: In view of these observations, S. occidentalis may be regarded as potential anthelmintic plant and it could be exploited further for the development of a novel anthelmintic.