Abstract

COMPARATIVE ANTI-LICE ACTIVITY OF TWO DIFFERENT GERMPLASM OF VELVET BEAN (MUCUNA PRURIENS), AN UNDERUTILIZED WILD SOUTH INDIAN LEGUME

Muthu K and Marimuthu M*

ABSTRACT

To investigate the activities of the seed extract in different solvents viz., methanol, ethanol, petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and water extract of the selected legume Mucuna pruriens. Two different germplasm of Mucuna collected from agro geographical regions was evaluated for its anti-lice activity. The result shows that the efficient anti-lice activity of Mucuna pruriens revealed that the methanol and ethanolic seed extracts of the selected plant have significant anti-lice activity against Pediculus humanus capitis and other solvent extract have minimum anti-lice activity. Between two germplasm, Mucuna black coloured germplasm registered higher level of anti-lice activity against Pediculus humanus capitis. From this result we suggest that Mucuna pruriens can be used for the herbal formulation as pediculicidal agent.

Keywords: Mucuna pruriens, Solvent extract, Anti-lice activity, Pediculus humanus capitis.