DETERMINATION OF ANTHELMINTIC ACTIVITY OF ETHANOILC EXTRACT OF OPHIORRHIZA MUNGOS PLANT

ABSTRACT:Helminthic infections remain a major global health concern, necessitating the search foreffective and safer plant-derived anthelmintic agents. The present study was undertaken toevaluate the in vitro anthelmintic activity of the ethanolic extract of Ophiorrhiza mungosleaves using Pheretima posthuma as the experimental model. The powdered leaves wereextracted by the Soxhlet extraction method using ethanol, and the obtained extract wasevaluated at concentrations of 20, 40, and 60 mg/mL. Albendazole (20 mg/mL) was used asthe standard reference drug, while 2% Tween 80 in distilled water served as the control.Anthelmintic activity was assessed by recording the time required for paralysis and death ofthe earthworms. The ethanolic extract exhibited significant concentration-dependentanthelmintic activity, with increasing extract concentration resulting in reduced paralysis anddeath times. The extract at 60 mg/mL demonstrated the greatest activity among the testedconcentrations, producing paralysis and death within 30 and 38 minutes, respectively,whereas Albendazole produced paralysis and death within 16 and 26 minutes, respectively.Although the extract was less potent than the standard drug, the findings indicate thatOphiorrhiza mungos possesses promising anthelmintic potential and supports its traditionalmedicinal use. Further phytochemical investigations and pharmacological studies arewarranted to isolate the active constituents and elucidate their mechanism of action for thedevelopment of novel plant-based anthelmintic agents.