In vitro and in vivo anthelmintic activity of Murraya koenigii against gastro-intestinal nematodes of sheep

The present study have been conducted to evaluate the anthelmintic activity of crude aqueous and crude methanolic leaf extracts of Murraya koenigii. Infection of ruminants with gastro-intestinal (GI) parasite has become a worldwide problem. The parasite causes economic losses in a variety of ways. Previously sheep producers relied heavily on anti-parasitic drugs to control gastro-intestinal parasites of the flocks. But due to misuse of these drugs the parasites become resistant to drugs. Thus created interest in studying medicinal plants as an alternative source of controlling the GI parasites. Adult motility assay (AMA) and egg hatch assay (EHA) have been done for in vitro study, and faecal egg count reduction (FECR) assay have been done for in vivo study. The in vitro study revealed anthelmintic effects of M. koenigii on Haemonchus contortus as evident from their paralytic condition and/or death at eight hour post exposure in different concentrations (12.5, 25, 50 mg/ml) of aqueous and methanolic extracts which exhibit to be dose-dependent. Aqueous and methanolic extracts of M. koenigii were found to have low percent inhibitory effect on egg hatching. It may be concluded that M. koenigii showed significant anthelmintic activity. © 2014, Indian Society for Parasitology.