ABSTRACT:
Background: Scabies is an enervating parasitic infestation of skin caused by Sarcoptes scabiei, affecting besides 130 million people at any time. Globally, this neglected tropical disease is amenable for 0.07% of the total burden of disease. In India and other West Asian countries, Anopheles stephensi is primary vector of malaria and occurrence of 200million to 450million infections causes up to 2.7million deaths annually worldwide. Crinum asiaticum Linn. (Amaryllidaceae) plant parts are used in traditional medicines for curing pain, arthritis, swelling carbuncle, piles, throat disorder, skin disease (leprosy), worms infestation, cold and cough disorders, vomiting, bowel complains, dysuria, polyuria and as insects repellents, emetic, purgative and rubifacients. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the anti-scabies and mosquito repellent activity of ethanol and aqueous extracts of Crinum asiaticum leaves. Materials and Methods: The leaves of C. asiaticum were extracted in ethanol and aqueous solvents using soxhlet apparatus, evaluated for anti-scabies potential against Sarcoptes scabiei using contact bioassay method and mosquito repellent activity against Anopheles stephensi by repellency test. Results: Ethanol extract of C. asiaticum showed 100.00±0.00% mortality of S. scabiei at 10% concentration within 80 min. of contact and also at its 10% concentration, it provided 97.00±0.42% protection effect and 78.25±0.53% after 6 h treatment comparable to DEET. Conclusion: This present study revealed that the ethanol extract of C. asiaticum exhibited excellent scabicidal activity against adult S. scabiei mites and mosquito repellent activity against mosquito vector An. stephensi.