The Miracicidal and Cercaricidal Activity Of the Methanolic Extracts Of <i>Lagenaria breviflora</i> Robert Family Cucurbitaceae Fruit On <i>Schistosoma mansoni</i>.

Abstract

Experiments were conducted on the miracicidal and cercaricidal activity of various concentrations of the methanolic extracts of the seed and pulp of Lagenaria breviflora on Schistosoma mansoni miracidia and cercariae using the methanolic extract of Tetrapleura tetraptera (Aridan) as control, 1mg/ml of aridan, the seed and pulp extracts of L. breviflora each resulted in a 100% kill of both the miracidia and cercariae at 60 minutes. At this same exposure period, lower concentrations (0.25mg/ml) of Aridan, seed and pulp extracts of L. breviflora eliminated 0%, 100% and 40% of the miracidia respectively. Lower concentrations (0.125mg/ml) of the extracts of the seed and pulp of L. breviflora eliminated 100% and 80% of the cercariae respectively. Higher concentrations of these extracts were potently miracicidal and cercericidal. The results obtained indicate that the use of the methanolic extracts of Lagenaria breviflora as miracicidal and cercaricidal substances even at concentrations lower than that of the control (Aridan), a known miracicidal and cercaricidal agent, will be an additional effective agent in the control of the transmission of schistosomiasis.





KEYWORDS: Schistosoma mansoni, cercariae, miracidia, Lagenaria breviflora.


Nig. Qt. J. Hosp. Med. Vol.12(1-4) 2002: 57-59