Abstract

EXPERIMENTAL EVALUTION OF ANTHIHELMINTIC ACTIVITY OF CARICA PAPAYA LATEX USING INDIAN EARTH WORM [PHERITIMA POSTHUMA]

*Pottendla Srikanth and Yaparthi Suneetha

ABSTRACT

This study was aimed to investigate the antihelmintic activity of carica papaya latex as the herbal drug of choice on common Indian earth worm (Pheritima posthuma). Alcohol and aqueous extract from the carica papaya latex were investigated for their antihelminthic activity against Pheretima posthumous. Various concentrations (25-100 mg/ml) of each extract were tested in the experiment, which involved in determination of time of paralysis and time of death of the worms. Piperazine citrate was used as a standard reference which increase the chloride ion conductance of worm muscle membrane and produce hyper polarization and reduce excitability that leads to muscle relaxation and flaccid paralysis .From the present study it is evident that ethanol and aqueous extract of carica papaya latex has shown significant and comparable antihelminthic activity with the piperazine citrate as standard.

Keywords: Carica papaya latex, Antihelmintic activity, Piperazine citrate, Paralysis.