phytochemical and in vitro anthelmintic properties of mesocarp of fruit extracts from balanites aegyptiaca (l.) delile (zygophyllaceae)

Introduction: balanites aegyptiaca l. (del) is a plant used in burkina faso in traditional medicine to treat gastrointestinal parasitosis. the purpose of this study was to assess the in vitro anthelmintic activity of aqueous and hydro-ethanolic macerates (am and hem) of the fruit mesocarp from balanites aegyptiaca against haemonchus contortus. methods: phytochemical screening of the extracts was done using thin-layer chromatography. the egg hatch inhibition assay (ehia) at 0.125, 0.15, 0.25, 0.625, 1.25, and 5 mg/ml and adult worms mortality assay (awma) at 0.625, 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10, and 15 mg/ml concentrations were evaluated. albendazole and levamisole were used as standards, and phosphate-buffered saline was used as a negative control. the antioxidant potential of extracts was evaluated using the abts [2,2’-azinobis (3-ethyl benzoin-6-sulphonate)] and dpph (2,2-diphenyl-picrylhydrazine) methods and fe3+ ion reducing power. the standards used were trolox and ascorbic acid. results: several secondary metabolites such as sterols, triterpenes, tannins, flavonoids, coumarins, and saponins were identified. for ehia, the am was more effective than hem with 50% inhibitory concentrations (ic50) of 0.35 mg/ml and 0.43 mg/ml, respectively. am was even more effective for awma than hem, with 50% lethal concentrations (lc50) of 3.15 mg/ml and 8.37 mg/ml, respectively. the dpph method gave an ic50 of 834.55 μg/ml and the capacity to reduce ferric ion (fe3+) to ferrous ion (fe2+) was 270.4 µmol/ascorbic acid equivalent. conclusion: am and hem from the mesocarp of b. aegyptiaca have anthelmintic properties. am is more effective than hem, which justifies their use with priority for am.