In-vitro anthelmintic activity and phytochemical screening of Rubia cordifolia L. root extracts

Abstract

Rubia cordifolia L. commonly known as Manjistha have been traditionally use as an Ayurvedic medicines for the treatment of various kind of diseases like dysentery, colic pain, blood purification, chest pains and related inflammatory conditions in India as well as at the various parts of the worlds. Beside its folk uses, the scientific studies revealing its application as effective anthelmintic agent is not studied scientifically yet. So, in search for the effective anthelmintic agent, R. cordifolia roots were investigated for in-vitro anthelmintic activity. In this study, the petroleum ether, chloroform, acetone, ethanol and aqueous extracts were tested against adult earthworms (Pheretima posthuma) along with phytochemical screening to determine the most possible constituents responsible for the activity. In this study we found that, the petroleum ether and chloroform extract had finest activity against adult earthworms as compared to other extracts. Said in-vitro anthelmintic activity was proposed due to its richness of variety of chemical constituents like alkaloids, steroids, flavonoids, terpenoids, tannins and anthraquinone glycosides.