Abstract
Persicaria hydropiper is a medicinal plant used for the treatment of helminth infections among the Naga people of India. To verify the traditional claim of the plant, an in vitro anthelmintic efficacy of the methanol extract of P. hydropiper leaves was investigated based on the paralytic and mortality effects on Raillietina echinobothrida, an intestinal cestode parasite of domestic fowl, following exposure to 10, 20 and 30 mg/ml concentrations of extract. The effects of extract were also studied on the body surface of the parasites by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The in vitro results showed an efficacy that was dose-dependent. At the highest dose (30 mg/ml), mortality of parasites occurred in 4.79 ± 0.17 h, in comparison to control, where the parasites survived till 45.63 ± 0.18 h. The SEM observations of extract-treated parasites revealed notable impairment in scolex, with distorted suckers and eroded spines. Also, the tegument was observed to be shrunken with impaired microtriches. The results indicate that P. hydropiper leaves possess noteworthy anthelmintic efficacy and justify their use in traditional medicine against intestinal worms.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Data availability
All data generated during this study are included in this article.
References
Ayaz M, Junaid M, Subhan F, Ullah F, Sadiq A, Ahmad S, Imran M, Kamal Z, Hussain S, Shah SM (2014) Heavy metals analysis, phytochemical, phytotoxic and anthelmintic investigations of crude methanolic extract, subsequent fractions and crude saponins from Polygonum hydropiper L. BMC Complement Altern Med 14:465. https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6882-14-465
Ayaz M, Junaid M, Ullah F, Sadiq A, Khan MA, Shah MR, Imran M, Ahmad S (2015) Comparative chemical profiling, cholinesterase inhibitions and anti-radicals properties of essential oils from Polygonum hydropiper L.: a preliminary anti-Alzheimer’s study. Lipids Health Dis 14:141. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12944-015-0145-8
Ayaz M, Junaid M, Ullah F, Subhan F, Sadiq A, Ali G, Ovais M, Shahid M, Ahmad A, Wadood A, El-Shazly M, Ahmad N, Ahmad S (2017) Anti-Alzheimer studies on β-sitosterol isolated from Polygonum hydropiper L. Front Pharmacol 8:697. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2017.00697
Challam M, Roy B, Tandon V (2010) Effect of Lysimachia ramosa (Primulaceae) on helminth parasites: motility, mortality and scanning electron microscopic observations on surface topography. Vet Parasitol 169:214–218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2009.12.024
Challam B, Roy B, Tandon V (2012) In vitro anthelmintic efficacy of Carex baccans (Cyperaceae): ultrastructural, histochemical and biochemical alterations in the cestode, Raillietina Echinobothrida. J Parasit Dis 36(1):81–86. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12639-011-0087-7
Chan JD, Cupit PM, Gunaratne GS, McCorvy JD, Yang Y, Stoltz K, Webb TR, Dosa PI, Roth BL, Abagyan R, Cunnungham C, Marchant JS (2017) The anthelmintic praziquantel is a human serotoninergic G-protein-coupled receptor ligand. Nat Commun 8(1):1910. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-02084-0
Hazarika A, Sarma HN (2006) Polygonum hydropiper crude root extract mimics estrogenic properties in females: evidence of uterine protein profiles studied by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Reprod Med Biol 5:155–160. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03016151
Huq AKMM, Jamal JA, Stanlas J (2014) Ethnobotanical, phytochemical, pharmacological, and toxicological aspects of Persicaria hydropiper (L.) Delarbre. J Evid Based Complement Altern Med 6:66. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/782830
Kar PK, Murmu S, Saha S, Tandon V, Acharya K (2014) Anthelmintic efficacy of gold nanoparticles derived from a phytopathogenic fungus, Nigrospora Oryzae. PLoS ONE 9(1):e84693
Kundu S, Roy S, Nandi S, Ukil B, Lyndem LM (2015) In vitro anthelmintic effects of Senna occidentalis (L.) Link (Leguminosae) on rat tapeworm Hymenolepis diminuta. Int J Pharm Pharm Sci 7(6):268–271
Kundu S, Roy S, Nandi S, Ukil B, Lyndem LM (2017) Senna alexandrina Mill. induced ultrastructural changes on Hymenolepis diminuta. J Parasit Dis 41(1):147–154. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12639-016-0768-3
Lalchhandama K (2019) Structural changes on an intestinal tapeworm Taenia tetragona caused by Millettia taiwaniania extract. Med Plants Int J Phytomed Relat Ind 11(3):307–312
Lalthanpuii PB, Lalchhandama K (2020a) Beautyberry (Callicarpa arborea) as an antiparasitic agent against Raillietina echinobothrida, an intestinal tapeworm. Pharmacogn J 12(1):66–70
Lalthanpuii PB, Lalchhandama K (2020b) Phytochemical analysis and in vitro anthelmintic activity of Imperata cylindrica underground parts. BMC Complement Med Ther 20:332
Nixon SA, Welz C, Woods DJ, Costa-Junior L, Zamanian M, Martin RJ (2020) Where are all the anthelmintics? Challenges and opportunities on the path to new anthelmintics. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resis 14:8–16. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpddr.2020.07.001
Soren AD, Chen RP, Yadav AK (2021) In vitro and in vivo anthelmintic study of Sesbania sesban var. bicolor, a traditionally used medicinal plant of Santhal tribe in Assam. India. J Parasit Dis 45(1):1–9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12639-020-01267-9
Tandon V, Pal P, Roy B, Rao HS, Reddy KS (1997) In vitro anthelmintic activity of root-tuber extract of Flemingia vesitita, an indigenous plant in Shillong, India. Parasitol Res 83(5):492–498. https://doi.org/10.1007/s004360050286
Tandon V, Yadav AK, Roy B, Das B (2011) Phytochemicals as cure of worm infections in traditional medicinal systems. In: Srivastava UC, Kumar S (eds) Emerging trends in zoology. Narendra Publishing House, New Delhi, pp 351–378
WHO (2022) Soil-transmitted helminth infections. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/soil-transmitted-helminth-infections. Accessed 14 Aug 2022
Acknowledgements
Keleni-i Nagi was recipient of National Fellowship and Scholarship for Higher Education of ST students from the Government of India, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Scholarship Division. Sophisticated Analytical Instrument Facility, NEHU, Shillong is acknowledged for scanning electron microscopy work.
Funding
This study is not funded by any funding agency.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
This study was designed by B. Roy and A. K. Yadav and executed by Keleni-i Nagi. First draft was written by Keleni-i Nagi and finalised by B. Roy and A. K. Yadav. All listed authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
Keleni-i Nagi has no conflict of interest. Bishnupada Roy has no conflict of interest. Arun K. Yadav has no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Nagi, Ki., Roy, B. & Yadav, A.K. In vitro cestocidal activity of Persicaria hydropiper (L.) Delarbre, a traditionally used anthelmintic plant in India. J Parasit Dis 47, 198–202 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12639-022-01559-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12639-022-01559-2