Anthelmintic activity of the stem bark extracts of Berlina grandiflora and one of its active principles, Betulinic acid

This study examines the anthelmintic activity of a methanol, hexane and ethylacetate extracts of Berlina grandiflora and purified betulinic acid, the major triterpenoid found in the extract. Caenorhabditis elegans, a free living soil nematode was used as in vitro model in the study. A suspension of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Phytomedicine (Stuttgart) 2001-03, Vol.8 (2), p.112-114
Main Authors: Enwerem, N.M., Okogun, J.I., Wambebe, C.O., Okorie, D.A., Akah, P.A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
anthelmintic activity
Anthelmintics - pharmacology
Antimalarials - chemistry
Antimalarials - isolation & purification
Antimalarials - pharmacology
Berlina grandiflora
betulinic acid
Caenorhabditis elegans
Caenorhabditis elegans - drug effects
Fabaceae - chemistry
Piperazines - pharmacology
Plant Extracts - chemistry
Plant Extracts - pharmacology
Plant Stems
Plants, Medicinal
Triterpenes - chemistry
Triterpenes - isolation & purification
Triterpenes - pharmacology
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Summary:This study examines the anthelmintic activity of a methanol, hexane and ethylacetate extracts of Berlina grandiflora and purified betulinic acid, the major triterpenoid found in the extract. Caenorhabditis elegans, a free living soil nematode was used as in vitro model in the study. A suspension of worms was treated with the extracts. After seven days of incubation activity was assessed in terms of number of worms exhibiting motiliy. The results showed that methanol, hexane and ethylacetate fractions at 500 ppm showed anthelmintic activities in the order ethylacetate > methanol > hexane from the alcoholic crude extract. The isolated betulinic acid from the ethylacetate fraction at 100 and 500 ppm showed strong anthelmintic activities comparable to piperazine. These results confirm the traditional use of Berlina grandiflora as an anthelmintic and indicate that betulinic acid is the active component.
ISSN:0944-7113
1618-095X
DOI:10.1078/0944-7113-00023