Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate in vitro the anthelmintic activity of Marrubium vulgare L. growing in Algeria against digestive strongyles in naturally infected bovine.
Methods: The anthelmintic activities of the extracts were evaluated using the egg hatch assay and larval mortality assay. Leaves powder of M. vulgare as extracted by maceration. Ethanolic (EE) and aqueous extracts (AE) were tested at 0.78, 1.55, 3.1, 6.2, 12.5, 25, and 50 mg/ml. Albendazole and dimethyl sulfoxide were used as positive and negative controls at concentrations20 mg/ml and 3%, respectively.
Results: The mean embryonation rate was maximum in AE and EE (48.4±3.47% and 54.2±2.87%, respectively) of M. vulgare leaves. The extracts of M. vulgare leaves high effects were observed with 50 mg/ml, but the lowest reduction on parasite eggs hatchability was observed in cultures exposed to 0.78 mg/ml to both extracts. The larval mortality rate of both AE and EE from M. vulgare showed that the extracts at 50 mg/ml exhibited 45.8±1.99% and 51±2.53%, respectively, at 24h.
Conclusion: The findings of the present study showed that AE and EE of M. vulgare leaves have a potential anthelmintic activity on eggs and larvae of bovine strongyles parasites in vitro.