The extracts of Arthocarpus heterophyllus Lam. leaves were evaluated in vitro for their anthelmintic activity.Benhamia rosea and B. itoleisis were used as animal models and Albendazole as reference product (positive control). After calculating the yield, it appears that the ethanol extracts had given a better yield (0.70%) compared to the organic extracts. The result of the phytochemical screening by TLC (thin layer chromatography) showed the presence of phenolic compounds including anthocyanins, coumarins, anthraquinones, phenol acids and terpenoids. From this study, it appears that A. heterophyllus Lam. contains various secondary metabolites such as flavonoids (2.63±0.007mg EQ/100g MS), phenolic acids, coumarins, anthraquinones, terpenoids and anthocyanins (10.46±1.05 mg/100 MS) and total polyphenols (27.33±9.34 mg EAG/100 g MS). The organic/terpenic acids extract showed very high antioxidant activity against the ABTS radical (IC 50 : 0.97 ± 0.13 µg/ml). The ethanolic and organic acid extracts from the leaves of this plant species have an anthelminthic activity, but this activity is dose dependent. However, at the lowest concentration (0.625 mg/mL), ethanolic extract showed better activity with a paralysis time of 67.3±1.8 minutes compared to 76±2.1 minutes for the organic extract. But the mortality rate at the lowest concentration was higher for organic extracts, at 62.7% compared to 33.3% for ethanol extracts. It is therefore desirable to test bioactive extracts on gastrointestinal parasites of farm animals in order to confirm the results obtained. Ongoing indepth phytochemical studies will identify the chemical compound (s) and active principle (s) for the formulation of anthelminthic phytomedicine for managing pathologies due to helminthes in farm animals.

Medicinal plants have played and continue to play a very important role as medicines or sources of therapeutic molecules throughout the world. Numerous people in developing countries use their therapeutic virtues to treat their health. Among those plants, Alchornea cordiflia is in a prominent position due to its numerous beneficial effects on both human and animal health. This plant is known in several African pharmacopoeias as an effective remedy against many diseases, including toothaches, inflammation, malaria, and worms. Advanced research on this plant has revealed a number of bioactive compounds such as cardiac glycosides, anthraquinones, polyphenols, triterpenes, and steroids, which give this plant its extraordinary pharmacological activities. Thus, many biological activities such as anti-inflammation, anticancer, antioxidant, antidiarrhoeal, antimicrobial, hepatoprotective, antiplasmodial are reported in this plant. More recently, a study has reported that this plant is included in the food chain of the Okapia johnstoni in the wild. Because of its composition rich in alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, triterpenoids, an assessment of the anthelmintic activity of this plant on the intestinal worms of the Okapia johnstoni would be very interesting for the ex situ conservation of this emblematic animal.