In vitro and in vivo cestocidal efficacy of kaempferol derivative isolated from Lysimachia ramosa (Wall. ex Duby) against Hymenolepis diminuta in Wistar rats

Since ancient times, plant based medicines and other phyto-products are commonly used in different parts of the world. In India, people use different traditional medicines to cure various illnesses. Helminth infection is one of the major health issues in under developed and developing nations like India. In Meghalaya, a north-eastern state of India, people consume aqueous leaf extract of Lysimachia ramosa to cure intestinal worm infection. A bioactive compound kaempferol derivative isolated from the leaves of the plant has been found to be efficacious against helminth in domestic fowl in vitro. The present study aims to investigate anthelmintic efficacy of the compound against Hymenolepis diminuta, an infectious zoonotic cestode both in vitro and in vivo in Wistar rats taking different parameters such as tegumental enzymatic activities of ATPase, AlkPase, AcPase, mean time of paralyze and death, ultrastructure, EPG count and worm burden in the host animals. The present study demonstrated that kaempferol derivative decrease the mean time of death in the adult worms significantly. Scanning electron microscopic study reveal distorted scolex with deteriorated suckers, shrunken proglottids, loss of microtriches from the worm’s body surface. Transmission electron microscopic study records the damages in the tegumental syncytium having deteriorated distal cytoplasm, exposed basal lamina, broken muscle bundle and erosion of microtriches. Distortions in the structure of nucleus and mitochondria were also recorded in the study. ATPase, AlkPase and AcPase decreased in the worms and EPG counts as well as worm recovery rates decreased significantly in the treated rats. It can be concluded from the investigation that the kaempferol derivative recovered from the plant L. ramosa is highly efficacious against H. diminuta both in vitro and in vivo in rats.