investigation of in vitro anthelmintic activity of thespesia lampas

200 

Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research 

INVESTIGATION OF IN VITRO ANTHELMINTIC ACTIVITY OF THESPESIA LAMPAS (CAV.) 

SATISH B. KOSALGE * , RAVINDRA A. FURSULE 

Satpuda hills region of Maharashtra is inhabited by several tribes and they are using several plants or plant-based preparations for 

the treatment of various ailments in their traditional system of medicine. During our course of studies on ethnomedicine of this 

region, the plant being used as anthelmintic is root of Thespesia lampas (Cav.). This plant has a wide reputation among natives of 

being curative for intestinal-worm infections in the form of aqueous extract. Based on this, an attempt has been made to evaluate 

the anthelmintic potential of this plant. 

The aqueous extract of Thespesia lampas (Cav.) roots (Ranibhendi) was investigated for anthelmintic activity using earthworms 

(Pheretima posthuma), tapeworms (Raillietina spiralis) and roundworms (Ascaridia galli). Various concentrations (10-50 mg/ml) of 

plant extract were tested in the bioassay. Piperazine citrate (10 mg/ml) was used as reference standard drug whereas distilled water 

as control. Determination of paralysis time and death time of the worms were recorded. Extract exhibited significant anthelmintic 

activity at highest concentration of 50 mg/ml. The result shows that aqueous extract possesses vermicidal activity and found to be 

effective as an anthelmintic. 

Keywords : Anthelmintic, Satpuda hills, ethnomedicine, Thespesia lampas (Cav.), vermicidal. 

INTRODUCTION 

Helminth infections are among the most widespread 

infections in humans, distressing a huge population of the 

world. Although the majority of infections due to 

helminths are generally restricted to tropical regions and 

cause enormous hazard to health and contribute to the 

prevalence of undernourishment, anaemia, eosinophilia 

and pneumonia 1 . Parasitic diseases cause ruthless morbidity 

affecting principally population in endemic areas 2 . The 

gastro-intestinal helminthes becomes resistant to currently 

available anthelmintic drugs therefore there is a foremost 

problem in treatment of helminthes diseases 3 . Hence there 

is an increasing demand towards natural anthelmintics. 

Thespesia lampas (Cav.) Malvaceae, commonly known as 

Ranibhendi, Jangali bhendi and bendi is a tall and 

undershrub growing on hill slopes wildly throughout 

forests. Leaves are 11-18 cm long, angular or shallowly 3- 

lobed, broadly ovate, thinly hairy above and petiolate. 

Flowers are yellow. Capsules are ovoid, 4-5 valved and 

blackish brown. Seeds are light black and dorsally 

rounded 4 . Leaves were useful in inflammation, ringworm, 

skin diseases. Roots were used as general tonic 5 . Plant 

contains Kaemferol and its glycosides, herbacetin, 

quercetin, rutin, gossypol, lupeol and B- sitosterol 6 . 

Satpuda hills region of Maharashtra is inhabited by several 

tribes and they are using several plants or plant-based 

preparations for the treatment of various ailments in their 

traditional system of medicine. During our course of 

studies on ethnomedicine of this region, the plant being 

used as anthelmintic is roots of Thespesia lampas (Cav.). 

This plant has a wide reputation among natives of being 

curative for intestinal-worm infections. This plant is being 

used by the tribals of Satpuda hills as an anthelmintic in 

the form of extract, prepared by soaking powdered material 

in water for 10-12 hours. This extract is taken orally once 

a day for three days to treat intestinal-worm infections. 

Based on this, an attempt has been made to evaluate the 

anthelmintic potential of Thespesia lampas (Cav.) 

MATERIALS AND METHODS 

Plant material 

The bark of Thespesia lampas (Cav.) was procured from 

Toranmal hills region (Maharashtra) in September 2007. 

The plant and plant material were identified and 

authenticated in Department of Botany, S. S.V.P.S. society’s 

Dr. P. R. Ghogrey Science College, Dhule and Voucher 

herbarium specimens was deposited in the Department 

of Pharmacognosy of our College. The plant material was 

dried in sunlight, pulverized, passed through sieve no. 40 

and stored in air tight container and used for further 

extraction. 

Preparation of extract 

Aqueous extract (Maceration method) 

Powdered material of Thespesia lampas (Cav.) roots (200 

gm) was kept for maceration with 1000 ml of distilled 

water for 12 hrs. The extract was double filtered by using 

muslin cloth and Whatman no.1 filter paper and 

concentrated by evaporation on water bath. The extract 

was dried and used as a powder. The percentage yield of 

extract was found to be 3.56 percent. 

*Corresponding author: 

*1 

H.R.Patel Women’s College of Pharmacy, Karwand Naka, Shirpur Dist- Dhule (MS) 

e-mail: skosalge@rediff.com 

Volume 2, Issue 2, April- June, 2009 ( 69 )


TABLE - 1 Anthelmintic activity of Thespesia lampas (Cav.) aqueous extract 

Groups 

Concentration 

(mg/ml) 

Pheretima posthuma 

(Earthworm) 

Ascaridia galli 

(Roundworm) 

Raillietina spiralis 

(Tapeworm) 

01 Control 

(Water Only) 

02 Thespesia 

lampas (Cav.) 

Time taken 

for 

paralysis 

(P) in min. 

(Mean & 

SEM) 

Time 

taken for 

death (D) 

in min. 

(Mean & 

SEM) 

Time taken 

for 

paralysis 


(Mean & 

SEM) 

Time 

taken for 

death (D) 


(Mean & 

SEM) 

Time taken 

for 

paralysis 


(Mean & 

SEM) 

Time 

taken for 

death (D) 


(Mean & 

SEM) 

----- ----- ------ ------ ------ ------ ------ 

10 27±0.41 68±1.20 22±1.60 59±1.52 29±1.24 62±1.07 

20 19±0.46 50±1.18 15±1.21 43±0.86 18±0.68 43±0.74 

03 Piperazine 

citrate 

(Standard) 

Each value represents mean ± SEM (N=6). 

Animals 

Adult earthworms (Pheretima posthuma), Roundworm 

(Ascaridia galli) and Tapeworms (Raillietina spiralis) were 

used to evaluate anthelmintic activity in vitro. Earthworms 

were collected near the swampy water along Karvand road 

Shirpur, roundworms and tapeworms were obtained from 

intestine of freshly slaughtered fowls. Infested intestines 

of fowls were collected from the local slaughter house and 

washed with normal saline solution to remove all the faecal 

matter. These intestines were then dissected and worms 

were collected and kept in normal saline solution. The 

average size of earthworm was 6-8 cm, average size of round 

worm was 5-7 cm and average size of tapeworm was 6-8 

cm. Earthworm and helminths were identified in Dept. 

of Zoology, SES Science College Shirpur and services of 

veterinary practioners were utilized to confirm the identity 

of worms. 

Drugs and chemicals 

Piperazine citrate (Glaxo Smithkline) was used during the 

experimental protocol. 

Anthelmintic activity 

The anthelmintic assay was carried out as per the method 

of Ajaiyeoba et al 7 . The assay was performed in vitro using 

adult earthworm (Pheretima posthuma) owing to its 

anatomical and physiological resemblance with the 

intestinal roundworm parasites of human beings for 

preliminary evaluation anthelmintic activity 8,9,10 . Use of 

Ascaridia galli and Raillietina species as a suitable model 

50 08±0.58 31±1.36 09±0.82 33±0.98 11±0.60 27±0.56 

10 23±1.15 61±0.88 11±1.43 39±1.26 23±0.64 55±0.68 

for screening of anthelmintic drug was advocated 

earlier 11,12 . 

Test samples of the extract was prepared at the 

concentrations, 10, 20 and 50 mg/ml in distilled water 

and six worms i.e. Pheretima posthuma, Ascaridia galli and 

Raillietina spiralis of approximately equal size (same type) 

were placed in each nine cm Petri dish containing 25 ml 

of above test solution of extracts. Piperazine citrate (10 

mg/ml) was used as reference standard and distilled water 

as control 13,14,15,16 . This procedure was adopted for all three 

different types of worms. All the test solution and standard 

drug solution were prepared freshly before starting the 

experiments. Observations were made for the time taken 

for paralysis was noted when no movement of any sort 

could be observed except when the worms were shaken 

vigorously. Time for death of worms were recorded after 

ascertaining that worms neither moved when shaken 

vigorously nor when dipped in warm water (50 0 C). All 

the results were shown in Table.1 and expressed as a mean 

± SEM of six worms in each group. 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 

From the observations made, higher concentration of 

extract produced paralytic effect much earlier and the time 

to death was shorter for all worms. Aqueous extract showed 

anthelmintic activity in dose-dependent manner giving 

shortest time of paralysis (P) and death (D) with 50 mg/ 

ml concentration, for all three types of worms. Extract 

exhibited more potent activity at lower concentration (10 



mg/ml) against (roundworm) Ascaridia galli. Evaluation 

of anthelmintic activity was compared with reference 

standard Piperazine citrate (Table.1). Preliminary 

phytochemical screening of extract revealed the presence 

of glycosides, phenolic compounds and mucilage. 

From the above results, it is concluded that Thespesia lampas 

(Cav.) used by tribals traditionally to treat intestinal worm 

infections, showed significant anthelmintic activity. The 

experimental evidence obtained in the laboratory model 

could provide a rationale for the traditional use of this 

plant as anthelmintic. The plant may be further explored 

for its phytochemical profile to recognize the active 

constituent accountable for anthelmintic activity. 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 

The authors are thankful to Dr. S. J. Surana, Principal 

R.C. Patel College of Pharmacy, Shirpur for providing 

necessary facilities to carry out present research work. Dr. 

D.A. Patil, Head, Department of Botany, Dr. P. R. Ghogrey 

Science College, Dhule for authentication of plant 

speciments, Prof. M.C. Agale, Head, Department of 

Zoology SES Science College Shirpur for identification 

of worms. The authors are also grateful to staff of forest 

department, Toranmal for their kind help during field visits 

and tribal people who shared their traditional knowledge 

regarding medicinal plants during our field visits. 

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