Invitro Antihelmintic Activity of Aqueous Seed Extract of Syzygium cumini against Indian Earthworms

Abstract

Syzygium cumini (L.) Skeels, commonly known as Jamun, is a widely distributed forest tree in India and other tropical and sub tropical regions of the world. The tree has a great economic importance since most of the parts like the bark, leaves, seed and fruits are used as an alternative medicine to treat various diseases. The present study aimed at the in-vitro anthelmintic activity of aqueous fruit seed extract of Syzygium cumini. The fruit seeds were extracted separately with distilled water by maceration method .The various concentrations of the extract (50,100, 200,300,400mg/ml) respectively were screened for their anthelmintic activity using Pheritima posthuma. The activity was comparable with the standard drug albendazole. When the concentrations of the extract are increased, a gradual increase in anthelmintic activity is observed. The study involved the determination of time of paralysis (P) and time of death (D) of the worms. Aqueous fruit seed extract of Syzygium cumini showed anthelmintic activity against Indian earthworms. The data were found statistically significant by using one way ANOVA (P< 0.001).