Evaluation of anthelmintic activity of Momordica charantia L. seeds

Abstract

Momordica charantia L. (Family Cucurbitaceae) commonly known as bitter gourd or bitter melon is used in the Traditional System of Medicine for the treatment of many ailments such as abortifacient, contraceptive, dysmenorrhoea, eczema, emmenagogue, antimalarial, galactagogue, gout, jaundice, abdominal pain, kidney stone, laxative, leprosy, leucorrhoea, piles, pneumonia, psoriasis, purgative, rheumatism, fever and scabies. The present work aims at evaluation of anthelmintic property of M. charantia seeds extracts against Indian adult earthworm Pheretima posthuma. Albendazole was used as the standard drug. Petroleum ether, chloroform, ethanol and aqueous extracts at concentration of 20 mg/mL each were evaluated for anthelmintic activity. The time taken for each worm for paralysis and death were determined. Among all the extracts chloroform extract showed best anthelmintic activity by inducing paralysis within 3 min and death within 8 min. The extracts showed better result when compared to the standard drug Albendazole.