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Das SRC. et al., 2013
EVALUATION OF ANTHELMINTIC ACTIVITY OF HOUTTUYNIA CORDATA
Hirumani Bhuyan1, Smriti Rekha Chanda Das1*
1Girijananda Chowdhury Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Azara, Guwahati-17, Assam, India. Email id: das_smritirekha@rediffmail.com In this study the anthelmintic activity of Houttuynia cordata leaves was evaluated using Pheretima posthuma (earth worm) as test worms. Three different concentrations of ethanolic extract of H. cordata leaves were taken (10, 20, 50mg/ml) and tested for anthelmintic activity which mainly involved the determination of time of paralysis and time of death of the worms. Albendazole at varying concentrations (10, 20 and 50mg/ml) was taken as the standard reference and normal saline was used as the control. The result of the present study shows that the ethanolic extract of Houttuynia cordata leaves showed profound anthelmintic activity against tested worm species. It justifies its folklore use in curing helmintic infections. Further studies are needed to establish the mechanism of action responsible for the concerned activity. Key r s: Houttuynia cordata, anthelmintic activity, Pheretima posthuma, Albendazole Introduction
resistant to currently available anthelmintic drugs. Helminth infection is a widespread infection in human and a large population of the world suffers Houttuynia cordata (family saureaceae) commonly die to this infection. Majority of helminth known as masundori, a creeping herb of 30-60 cm infection generally restricted to tropical regions height with thin spreading rhizomes. The stems are green or sometimes purplish red and either smooth or pubescent on the nodes. The lower increasing demand of natural anthelmintics parts of the leaf stalks form a sheath round the because gastro-intestinal helminthes becomes stem. The leaves are usually heart shaped, 4-10 cm long and 2.5 -6.0 cm wide and purple underneath. Journal of Fundamental Pharmaceutical Research Das SRC. et al., 2013
The flowers are small, crowded into a short spike Indian adult earth worm (Pheritima posthuma) was around 2 cm long, with four white, petal like collected from water logged areas of Azara, bracts at the base. The stamens usually degenerate and the fruits are apomictic. Houttuynia cordata Evaluation of Anthelmintic Activity
has a wide reputation among natives of being The anthelmintic activity was evaluated on adult curative for intestinal worm infections4,5. This Indian earth worm, Pheritima posthuma. Worms plant is being used by the tribal sod Satpuda hills were divided into seven groups, each group as an anthelmintic. The present study was contained five worms. Group I, were treated as therefore aimed to investigate the anthelmintic control, treated with normal saline; group II-IV activity of the ethanolic extract of leaves in a view were treated with 10, 20 and 50 mg/ml of to justifying the use of the plant in the traditional ethanolic extract suspended in normal saline; Material and Method
compound, Albendazole (10, 20 and 50 mg/ml). Plant Material
Observations were made for the time taken to set The plant Houttuynia cordata were collected from paralysis and death of the individual worms. Mean the rural belt of Azara, Kamrup and authenticated time for paralysis was noted (in min.) when no by Deptt. of botany, Gauhati University, Assam movement of any sort could be observed, except and a specimen (No. 017600) has been deposited when the worm was shaken vigorously. Time of death was recorded (in min.) neither after Preparation of Extracts
ascertaining the worms nor moved when shaken The plant leafs were shade dried and powdered. vigorously nor when dipped in warm water (50˚C) The powdered material was extracted with 95% ethanol and the extract was vacuum dried. Results and Discussion
Phytochemical screening
The result of the phytochemical screening reveals Qualitative assay, for the presence of plant that the ethanolic extract possesses alkaloids, phytoconstituents such as alkaloids, glycosides, glycosides, steroids and tannins. It was also steroids, flavonoids, carbohydrates, tannins and observed that the ethanolic extract was endowed saponins were carried out on the extract following with anthelmintic property (table 1). The tested samples were found to be lethal to the worms at the tested level of concentrations. The activity was also found to be concentration dependent for all different samples tested. Potency of the test Journal of Fundamental Pharmaceutical Research Das SRC. et al., 2013
samples was found to be inversely proportional to anthelmintic effect 9. It is reported that the time taken for paralysis/death of the worms. anthelimintic effect of tannins can be due to The activities were comparable with the reference binding to free proteins in the gastrointestinal drug Albendazole. It is possible that tannins tract of host animal or glycoprotein on the cuticle contained in the extracts of Houttuynia cordata of the parasite and which may cause death10. Table 1: Anthelmintic activity of ethanolic extract of Houttuynia cordata
Results are expressed as Mean ± SEM from six observations Therefore, it can be concluded that the ethanolic extract of leaf of Houttuynia cordata possesses References
profound anthelmintic activity against tested worm species. It justifies its folklore use in curing helmintic infections. Further studies are needed to establish the mechanism of action and isolation of phytoconstituents responsible for the concerned Acknowledgement
The authors are thankful to the Principal and Authority of Girijananda Chowdhury Institute of Pharmaceutical Science (GIPS), Guwahati, Assam, India for providing necessary facilities for this Journal of Fundamental Pharmaceutical Research Das SRC. et al., 2013
plants for their antimicrobial properties. J Anthelmintic activity of Heliotropium Y, Delenasaw
indicum Linn. and Leucas aspera Spreng. either Medicago sativa or Hedysarum coronarium, which contains condensed 10. Athnasiadou S, Kyriazakis F, Jackson PL and Coop. Direct anthelmintic effects of vivo studies. Vet Parasito 2001; 99:19-21 Journal of Fundamental Pharmaceutical Research

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