SOME ANTHELMINTIC AND OTHER PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIONS OF DIETHYL ETHER EXTRACT OF THE SEEDS OF CARICA PAPAYA LINN

SOME ANTHELMINTIC AND OTHER PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIONS OF DIETHYL ETHER EXTRACT OF THE SEEDS OF CARICA PAPAYA LINN

Abstract:

The anthelmintic property of the extract of Carical Papaya seeds against Nippostrongylus braziliensis and Hymenolepls nana were studied using rats. In addition, pharmacological properties of the seed extract on skeletal, smooth and cardiac muscles were investigated. The extract (0.5 – 2 g/kg) used once daily for three days, or once followed by purging with magnesium sulphate (4.6 g/kg) 2 and 2k hours later, did not show any activity against N. braziliensis. The activity of bephenium hydroxynapthoate (150 – 200 mg/kg) against N. braziliensis. was significant. On the other hand, the extract exhibited activity both in vitro and in vivo against H. nana. The LD50 for extract and niclosamide in vitro were 36 ug/ml and 120 ng/ml respectively. The extract at concentrations above 100 ug/ml either paralysed the worms or killed them. A similar effect was observed with niclosamide (>1.9 ug/ml). The activity of extract was significant at concentrations above 0.5 g/kg when used once daily for three days against H. nana. When used once, followed by purging with magnesium sulphate, it was significant at 1.0 g/kg and highly significant at 2.0 g/kg. Niclosamide (600 mg/kg) once daily for three days showed complete deparasitization of all the rats used. The results of the extract suggest that it could be a cestocidal agent hut its use as a general vermifuge is not justified in ankylostomiasis. The extract (> 32 ug/ml) affects isolated skeletal muscle preparations directly resulting in permanent contracture, suggesting that it could be acting at a point beyond the neuromuscular junction. It is likely to be interfering with the process involved in, either sequestering of released Ca2+ or the storage of Ca2+ thereby making Ca continously available for sustained and irreversible contracture. The extract (0.5 mg/ml)contracted and desensitized both oestrous and non-oestrous rat uterine smooth muscle to oxytocin and acetylcholine. The activity may be related to a possible effect of the extract on the fluxes of calcium or other ions. On the cardiac muscle, the extract (0.2 mg/ml) produced initial positive chronotropic and inotropic effects followed by gradual decrease in force and rate of contraction of the heart. It also desensitized the heart to acetylcholine and adrenaline. The cardiac effect of the extract may be due to its interference with enzyme systems (e.g. c-AMP, c-GMP) responsible for the mobilization of Ca2+. When acute toxica logical studies with chicks and mice were conducted, the extract (2 g/kg) did not produce any observable toxic effects. BITC was qualitatively determined by its hydrolysis to yield hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide gases. It is therefore likely that the observed effects of the extract in this project may be principally attributed to BITC content of the seed extract.

SOME ANTHELMINTIC AND OTHER PHARMACOLOGICAL ACTIONS OF DIETHYL ETHER EXTRACT OF THE SEEDS OF CARICA PAPAYA LINN

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