Abstract

PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING, ANTHELMINTIC AND ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY OF EUCALYPTUS GLOBULUS ESSENTIAL OILS: LOCAL COUGH REMEDY PLANT

Yohannes Weldemariam*, Kindhafty Abadi, Gebremedhin Gebremariam and Gebreegziabher Brhane

ABSTRACT

The human nature has never been free of health related problems neither has found single ever curing drug. Plants have been used until today as immediate remedy for various alignments. Essential oils are complex mixture of component unlike chemicals which are based on single products. Thus, a plant with essential oil is believed to have medicinal value. In this study the anthelmintic and antioxidant activity of eucalyptus essential oil was investigated. Eucalyptus leafs were brought from Adigrat and surrounding areas and washed before they shade dried for ten days. Then they were extracted with distilled water in hydro distillation with Clevenger apparatus. The crude essential oil of the plant was screened for phytochemicals employing various standard methods. Biological activity of essential oil was also tested with focus to its anthelmintic and antioxidant activity against Pheretima posthuma and DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl- 1-picrylhydrazyl) respectively. In both assays significant inhibitions was recorded and even in the anthelmintic activity the oil extracts recorded relatively higher efficacy than the standard drug used in almost all of the concentrations used. Even if the oils are not rich in the polar phytochemicals but their activity was significant against the worms and radicals at all concentration. It was found out that the oil inhibited the radicals to about 68% and it kill the earth worms at 37±4min at the highest concentration (100g/ml v/v).

Keywords: Eucalyptus globules, Pheretima posthuma, 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, Hydro distillation, Invitro biological activity, UV spectroscopy.