• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.192-195
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• 2008

The effect of aqueous and alcoholic extract of roots of Berberis aristata was studied on the spontaneous movements of the whole worm (w.w) preparation and nerve muscle (n.m) complex of cattle filarial parasite Setaria cervi and on the survival of microfilariae. Only aqueous extract could inhibit the spontaneous movements of S. cervi, characterized by initial stimulation followed by reversible paralysis. The concentration required to produce similar effect on n.m complex was less as compared to the w.w. The lethal concentration 50 and lethal concentration 90 for aqueous extract were 48 ng/ml and 65 ng/ml.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.144-156
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• 2006

The effect of aqueous and alcoholic extracts of the fruit, leaf and stem of Melia azedarach Linn. (Meliaceae) on the spontaneous movements of both the whole worm and the nerve-muscle (n.m.) preparation of Setaria (S.) cervi and on the survival of microfilariae in vitro was studied. Alcoholic extracts of fruit, leaf and stem caused inhibition of the spontaneous movements of the whole worm and the n.m. preparation of S. cervi, while only aqueous extract of fruit caused inhibition of the spontaneous movements of the whole worm and the n.m. preparation of S. cervi. The initial stimulatory effect was not observed by the aqueous and alcoholic extracts of fruit on n.m. preparation. The concentrations required to inhibit the movements of the whole worm and n.m. preparation for alcoholic extracts of fruit, leaf and stem were 250, $40\;{\mu}g/ml$; 280, $40\;{\mu}g/ml$ and 270, $25\;{\mu}g/ml$ respectively, whereas an aqueous extract of fruit caused inhibition of whole worm and n.m. preparation at $200\;{\mu}g/ml$ and $40\;{\mu}g/ml$ respectively. Alcoholic extracts of the fruit, leaf and stem and aqueous extract of the fruit of M. azedarach caused concentration related inhibition on the survival of microfilariae (m.f.) of S. cervi. The $LC_{50}$ and $LC_{90}$ as observed after 6 h were found to be 5, 15, 10, 20 ng/ml and 10, 25, 20 and 35 ng/ml, respectively. This work was conducted in view of the exploration of potential antifilarial herbal drug.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.475-479
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• 1996

Diethylcarbamazine (DEC, 1-diethylcarbamyl-4-methylpiperazine) is an antiparasitic piperazine derivative used in the treatment of lymphatic filariasis caused by Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi or grugia timori. DEC-N-oxide is a major metabolite in humans and has antifilarial activity. In carrying out pharmacokinetic studies, gas chromatographic analysis of DEC in plasma can be complicated by the presence of the metabolite, since the thermally unstable DEC-N-oxide is converted back to a material which coelutes with DEC under the conditions of the analysis. We now report a method to separate DEC-N-oxide from DEC in plasma using solid phase extraction with subsequent gas chromatographic analysis using a nitrogen specific detector. One-diethylcarbamyl-4-ethylpiperazine (E-DEC) was the internal standard. The standard curve of DEC was linear in the range of 10 to 200 ng/ml as described by Y=0.0350+0.0128X, $R^2=0.999$. The limit of quantitation was 4 ng/mL. Reproducibility at 10, 100 and 200 ng/mL concentration points of the standard curve gave coefficient variations of 6.1%, 7.8% and 1.6%, respectively. The recovery following solid phase extraction was 99.3% for DEC and 94.8% for the internal standard. This sensitive and specific analytical method is suitable for pharmacokinetic studies of DEC.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.110-116
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• 2005

The effect of alcohol and aqueous extracts of the leaves and stem of Pluchea lanceolata on the spontaneous movements of both the whole worm and the nerve muscle preparation of Setaria cervi, and on the survival of microfilariae in vitro was studied. Alcohol and aqueous extracts of the leaves and stem of P. lanceolata caused the inhibition of spontaneous movements of the whole worm and the nerve muscle preparation of S. cervi, characterized by short lasting small increase in tone and amplitude of contractions followed by paralysis. The concentrations required to inhibit the movements of whole worm and nerve muscle preparations for alcohol extract were 200 and $25\;{\mu}g/ml$, and for aqueous extract were 250 and $100\;{\mu}g/ml$, respectively, suggesting a cuticular permeability barrier. Both the extracts (alcohol and aqueous) caused death of microfilariae in vitro, $LC_{50}$ and $LC_{90}$ being 12 and 18 ng/ml for alcohol extract and 25 and 40 ng/ml for aqueous extract, respectively.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.240-245
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• 2005

The effect of aqueous and alcoholic extract of seeds of Nigella sativa (N. sativa) was studied on the spontaneous movements of the whole worm (w.w) preparation and nerve muscle (n.m) complex of Setaria cervi (S. cervi). Both the extracts caused inhibition of spontaneous movements of the w.w and n.m complex characterized by initial stimulation followed by irreversible paralysis, with the exception that aqueous extract produced a partially reversible paralysis of w.w preparation. Lesser concentration of both the extracts was required to inhibit the movements of n.m complex than the w.w. Suggesting a cuticular permeability barrier. The lethal concentration $50\;(LC_{50})$ and lethal concentration $90\;(LC_{90})$ were 30 and 55 ng/ml for aqueous and 45 and 60 ng/ml for alcoholic extracts respectively.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.180-186
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• 2003

Effect of aqueous and alcoholic extracts of the roots of Mirabilis jalapa Linn. Four Oclock plant, on the spontaneous movements of both the whole worm and the nerve-muscle (n.m.) preparation of Setaria cervi and on the survival of microfilariae in vitro was studied. Alcoholic extract caused the inhibition of spontaneous movements of the whole worm and the n.m. preparation of S. cervi, whereas aqueous extract caused inhibition of spontaneous movements of the n.m. preparation. The initial stimulatory effect was not observed by aqueous and alcoholic extracts on n.m. preparation while effect of alcoholic extract on the whole worm was characterized by an increase in the amplitude of contractions followed by reversible paralysis. The concentrations required to inhibit the movements of the whole worm and n.m. preparation for alcoholic extract of root were $270\;{\mu}g/mL$ and $40\;{\mu}g/mL$, respectively whereas an aqueous extract caused inhibition of n.m. preparation at $30\;{\mu}g/mL$ suggesting a cuticular permeability barrier. Alcoholic extract of the roots of M. jalapa caused concentration related effect on the survival of microfilariae of S. cervi. The $LC_{50}$ and $LC_{90}$ for alcoholic extract as observed after 6 hrs. were found to be 10 ng/mL and 18 ng/mL., respectively.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.273-280
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• 2016

We evaluated the activity of methanolic extracts of Melaleuca cajuputi flowers against the filarial worm Brugia pahangi and its bacterial endosymbiont Wolbachia. Anti-Wolbachia activity was measured in worms and in Aedes albopictus Aa23 cells by PCR, electron microscopy, and other biological assays. In particular, microfilarial release, worm motility, and viability were determined. M. cajuputi flower extracts were found to significantly reduce Wolbachia endosymbionts in Aa23 cells, Wolbachia surface protein, and microfilarial release, as well as the viability and motility of adult worms. Anti-Wolbachia activity was further confirmed by observation of degraded and phagocytized Wolbachia in worms treated with the flower extracts. The data provided in vitro and in vivo evidence that M. cajuputi flower extracts inhibit Wolbachia, an activity that may be exploited as an alternative strategy to treat human lymphatic filariasis.