Anthelmintic efficacy of aqueous extract of Butea monosperma (Lam.) Kuntze against Haemonchus contortus of sheep and goats

Infection with Haemonchus contortus is one of the most important economic problems in small ruminants worldwide. Resistance development by parasites, drug residues in meat, toxicity, non-availability and high cost limit the usefulness of currently used synthetic drugs. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to evaluate in vitro anthelmintic efficacy of aqueous extract of seeds of Butea monosperma (Lam.) Kuntze against H. contortus. Phytochemical analysis of extract showed high concentration of phenolic (11.93 ± 0.64 mg of GAE/g of extract), flavonoids (238.17 ± 19.14 mg of quercetin/g extract) and tannin (10.80 ± 0.70 mg of GAE/g of extract) content. The observations revealed that parasites were sluggish and movement was little at 4 h post exposure of 25, 50 mg/ml and very sluggish in 100 mg/ml concentration. The extract showed complete mortality of the adult H. contortus worms at the concentrations of 100 mg/ml at the time exposure of 6 h and with the concentration of 50 mg/ml at the post exposure of 8 h. At 25 mg/ml concentration 50 % mortality was recorded at 6 h and complete at 8 h post exposure. The LC₅₀ at 6 and 8 h were 45.20 and 17.50 mg/ml respectively. Levamisole at concentration of 0.5 mg/ml caused 50 % mortality at 2 h post exposure and full mortality at 4 h post exposure. These cidal effects may be due to presence of high phenolic, flavonoids and tannin content in the extract. The results confirm the aqueous extract of B. monosperma (Lam.) Kuntze on adult H. contortus worms.