Background: Worm infection and associated complications are severe problems that afflict a large population worldwide. Failure of synthetic drugs in worm infections because of drug resistance has made alternative drug therapy desirable. Cordia dichotoma (Forst.) is an ethnomedicinal plant which is rich in several secondary metabolites. Traditionally, the plant has been claimed to have high medicinal properties including antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity.
Materials and methods: The study begun with an aim to explore plant-based natural anthelmintic agents against Pheretima posthuma, an Indian earthworm. Methanol extract of the drug was obtained by successive soxhlet extraction. The extract was tested for different phytochemicals. Worms were exposed to 10 mg/ml, 25 mg/ml, 50 mg/ml, and 75 mg/ml concentrations of extract and standard drug, albendazole. A software-based tool, prediction of activity spectra for substances was used to estimate anthelmintic efficacy of plant metabolites.
Result: The phytochemical analysis revealed presence of alkaloids, tannins, glycosides, saponins, flavonoids, and phenols. The extract showed dose-dependent effects, affecting worm motility, viability, and mortality. It was also found that the biological activity spectrum of the plant phytoconstituents such as octacosanol, lupeol, caffeic acid, and hentricontanol were >0.5 (probable activity > 0.5).
Conclusion: The findings of the present work suggest that the extract of C. dichotoma significantly interferes with motility pattern of P. posthuma. The paralysis and mortality of P. posthuma might be due to the combined effects different phytoconstituents. The extract of C. dichotoma promises natural sources to control worm infection.
Keywords: Anthelmintic activity; Cordia dichotoma; Pheretima posthuma; paralysis and death; prediction of activity spectra for substances prediction.