The leaf decoction of Sesbania sesban var. bicolor is used traditionally by Santhal tribe of Assam, India, for the treatment of intestinal helminthic infections. This study was conducted to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo anthelmintic efficacy of methanolic extract of S. sesban var. bicolor leaves using Hymenolepis diminuta-rat (cestode) and Syphacia obvelata-mice (nematode) as test parasites and models. Praziquantel (PZQ) and albendazole (ABZ) were used as reference drugs. At the highest concentration of 30 mg/ml of the plant extract, H. diminuta and S. obvelata showed mortality at 0.81 ± 0.01 h and 15.17 ± 0.05 h, respectively. The in vivo results substantiated the in vitro findings, and the extract showed a better cestocidal efficacy in a dose-dependent manner, whereby treatment of rats with 400 mg/kg of the plant extract caused 65.10% reduction in eggs per gram (EPG) of faeces and 56% reduction in worm counts. S. obvelata-infected mice treated at the same dose showed 34.32% and 47.08% reduction in EPG and worm counts at necropsy, respectively. The methanolic extract was subjected to bioassayguided fractionation using different solvents and the ethyl acetate fraction proved to be the most active. This active fraction was subjected to column chromatography using varying concentrations of hexane:ethyl acetate. Maximum efficacy was observed in 7:3 hexane:ethyl acetate, where H. diminuta and S. obvelata showed mortality at 3.56 ± 0.12 h and 9.21 ± 0.02 h, respectively. This indicates that the isolated fraction contained the active component responsible for its anthelmintic activity, which substantiates the medicinal usage in traditional practice.

Ayurveda is one of the ancient traditional medicine systems in India. However, several Ayurvedic medicines lack scientific evidence about their efficacy. This study reports the in vitro anthelmintic effects of three common Ayurvedic formulations, Krimimudgar Ras, Kriminol, and Birangasav on a poultry cestode Raillietina sp., using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Adult cestodes were exposed to different concentrations of Ayurvedic formulations and the paralysed parasites from the highest concentration (50 mg/ml) of Ayurvedic formulations, the reference anthelmintic praziquantel (PZQ) together with control were picked up and processed for TEM. The TEM studies of control cestode parasites revealed a normal arrangement of microthrix layer, basal lamina, longitudinal muscle layer, and a normal nucleus and mitochondria. Importantly, the cestodes that were exposed to 50 mg/mL concentration of Krimimudgar Ras revealed the most prominent ultrastructural alterations in the body of parasites in the form of a disrupted microthrix layer, basal lamina, muscle layer and mitochondria. The nucleus also appeared dense and irregular in shape with scattered chromatin and disrupted nuclear membrane. Kriminol-treated worms revealed considerably less damage, whereas Birangasav-treated worms revealed destructive effects in microthrix layer, nucleus and mitochondria. Through the findings of the present study, it can be concluded that of the three common Ayurvedic formulations studied, Krimimudgar Ras causes maximum degree of internal alterations in cestode parasites and thus may be considered as a good anthelmintic agent.