In vitro Activity of Ethanol, Cold Water and Hot Water Extracts of the Bark of Canthium mannii (Rubiaceae) Stem on Ancylostoma caninum Eggs

Abstract

An in vitro evaluation was performed to determine the efficacy of ethanol, cold water and hot water extracts of the stem bark of Canthium mannii (Rubiaceae) on un-embryonated and embryonated eggs of Ancylostoma caninum obtained from the faeces of naturally infected local dogs. The extracts were diluted in distilled water to obtain five concentrations namely 125, 250, 500, 750 and 1000 µg/ml. Mebendazole, similarly diluted, distilled water and 0.02 % ethanol were used in the bioassay as the standard reference drug, placebo and ethanol control respectively. One milliliter portions of the extracts and controls at the different concentrations were added to 1 ml solutions containing 30 to 40 of the parasite eggs distributed in different Petri dishes followed by incubation at 24 °C for 48 h in the case of un-embryonated eggs and 6 h for the embryonated eggs, after which first stage larvae and eggs were counted. The 1000 µg/ml ethanol extract produced a 90 % reduction in the number of eggs that hatched after treatment for 48 h. This effect was similar to that produced by mebendazole. The cold water and hot water extracts showed lower eclodibility inhibition (< 50 %) at all the concentrations tested. These results support the possible use of the ethanol extract of C. mannii in the control of gastrointestinal helminthiasis. These effects remain to be studied under in vivo conditions.


Keywords: Canthium mannii, anthelmintic action, Ancylostoma caninum, Cameroon.

The East and Central African Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Vol. 8 (3) 2005: pp 14-18