Potential antifilarial activity of fruit extracts of <i>Ficus racemosa </i>Linn. Against <i>Setaria cervi in vitro</i>

Abstract

Effect of alcoholic and aqueous extracts of the fruits of <i>F. racemosa </i>Linn., on the spontaneous movements of both the whole worm and nerve muscle preparation of <i>Setaria cervi </i>and on the survival of microfilariae <i>in vitro </i>was studied. Alcoholic as well as aqueous extracts caused inhibition of spontaneous motility of whole worm and nerve muscle

preparation of <i>Setaria cervi </i>characterized by increase in amplitude and tone of contractions. Initial stimulatory effect was not observed with aqueous extract on whole worm preparation, while effect of alcoholic extract on whole worm and nerve muscle preparation was characterized by an increase in amplitude and tone of contractions followed by paralysis. The

concentrations required to inhibit the movement of the whole worm and nerve muscle preparation for alcoholic extract of fruits of <i>F. racemosa </i>were 250 and 50 μg/ml, respectively, whereas aqueous extract caused inhibition of the whole worm and nerve muscle preparation at 350 and 150 μg/ml, respectively, suggesting a cuticular barrier. Both alcoholic and aqueous extracts caused death of microfilariae <i>in vitro. </i>LC₅₀ and LC₉₀ were 21 and 35 ng/ml, respectively for alcoholic, which were 27 and 42 ng/ml for aqueous extracts.