INTRODUCTION:

Helminthic infections are very common in man. Helminthic infections are large threat to human beings health in developing countries. It contributes malnutrition, anemia and pneumonia. Majority of the infections are due to worms are generally limited to topical regions. The World Health Organization reveals that over two billion people are suffering from parasitic worm infections¹. It is estimated that by the year 2025, about 57% of the population in developing countries will be influenced². The prevalence of parasitic helminths typically displays a negative binomial distribution within an infected population such that relatively few persons carry heavy parasite burdens. Without treatment, those individuals are most likely to become ill and to perpetuate infection within their community³. Helminthes infections are now being recognized as cause of many acute as well as chronic ill health among the various human beings as well as cattle’s. More than half of the population of the world suffers from infection of one or the other and majority of cattle’s suffers from worm infections⁴.

In most developing and less developed countries, helminth infections are a major health concern because they predispose humans to other infections such as fungal and bacterial infections⁵. Intestinal infections with worms can more easily treated than those the infections that occur in other locations in the body, because the worms need to be killed by the drug and the drug need not be absorbed when given by oral route⁶.

Anthelmintics are drugs that may act locally to expel worms from the GIT or systemically to eradicate adult helminths or development forms that invade organs and tissues⁷. Most of the existing anthelmintics produce side effects such as abdominal pain, loss of appetite, nausea, Vomiting, headache and diarrhoea⁸. Anthelmintics from the natural sources may play a key role in the treatment of these parasite infections⁹. Because of the increasing anthelmintic resistance and the impact of conventional anthelmintics on the environment, it is important to look for alternative strategies against parasitic worms. Earthworms have been used widely for the initial evaluation of anthelmintic compound in vitro^10-13.

Spirulina is free-floating filamentous microalgae growing in alkaline water bodies. With its high nutritional value, Spirulina has been consumed as food for centuries in Central Africa. It is now widely used as nutraceutical food supplement worldwide. Recently, great attention and extensive studies have been devoted to evaluate its therapeutic benefits on an array of diseased conditions including hypercholesterolemia, hyperglycerolemia, cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory diseases, cancer and viral infections. The cardiovascular benefits of Spirulina are primarily resulted from its hypolipidemic, antioxidant and antiinflamatory activities. Data from preclinical studies with various animal models consistently demonstrated many activities of Spirulina¹⁴.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Material:

We purchased spirulina powder in online and it is also available officially over the world wide.

Drugs:

Albendazole, Acacia, Saline

Worms collection:

Indian adult earthworms (pheretimaposthuma) were used to study anthelmintic activity. The earthworms were collected from moist soil and washed to remove all fecal materials. The earthworms in 3-5 cm. in length and 0.1-0.1-2 cm in width were used for all experimental protocol. The earthworm resembles both anatomically and physiologically to the intestinal roundworms parasites of human beings, hence can be used to study anthelmintic activity^15-16.

Preparation of Samples:

Preparation of Different Concentrations of Spirulina and Albendazole were prepared by using 0.5% w/v of Acacia as suspending agent.

Procedure:

The Spirulina was tested for anthelmintic activity¹⁷. Pheretimaposthuma of nearly equal size (6cm ± 1) were selected randomly for present study. The worms were acclimatized to the laboratory condition before experimentation. The earthworms were divided into six groups of six earthworms in each. Different Concentrations of Spirulina and Standard drug Albendazole were prepared by using Acacia and diluted to prepare six concentrations i.e. 25mg/ml, 50mg/ml, 75mg/ml, 100mg/ml, 125mg/ml and 150mg/ml. Normal saline serve as control. Six earthworms nearly equal size (6cm ± 1) are taken for each concentration and placed in petridishes at room temperature. The time taken for complete paralysis and death are recorded. The mean paralysis time and mean lethal time for each sample was calculated (each reading taken in triplicate). The time taken for worms to become motionless was noted as paralysis time and to ascertain death, each worm was frequently applied with external stimuli which stimulates and induce movement in the earthworms, if alive.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION:

Table.1. Anthelmintic activity of Spirulina Powder and standard Albendazole.

Extract	Concentrations (mg/ml)	Pheretimapostuma
Extract	Concentrations (mg/ml)	Paralysis(min)	Death(min)
Spirulina	25mg/ml	-	-
	50mg/ml	-	-
	75mg/ml	-	-
	100mg/ml	-	-
	125mg/ml	-	-
	150mg/ml	15±0.876	25±1.703
Standard (Albendazole)	25mg/ml	16 min ± 17	21 min± 12
	50mg/ml	15 min ± 13	19 min± 15
	75mg/ml	15 min ± 13	18 min± 15
	100mg/ml	14 min ± 13	17 min ± 15
	125mg/ml	12 min ± 18	16 min± 21
	150mg/ml	12 min ± 18	10 min± 21

Fig.1. Death of Pheretimaposthuma at 150 mg/ml concentration of Spirulina Powder

DISCUSSION:

The earth worm Pheretimaposthuma is one of the most important soil invertebrates in promoting soil fertility. These earthworms are important components of the diets of many higher animals. Helmenthic infections of the gastrointestinal tract of human beings and animals have been recognised too have adverse effect on health standards with a consequents lowering of resistance to other diseases. In search of components with anti helmenthic activity, a number of substances were screened using different species of worms, for example earth worm, ascaris, nippostrongylus and heterakia. Of all the species, earth worms have been used widely for the initial evaluation of antihelmenthic compounds in vitro because the resemble intestinal “worms” in their reaction to anti helmenthetic and are easily available. It has been demonstrated that all antihelmenthetics are toxic to earth worms and substance toxic to earth worms is worthly for investigation has an antihelmenthic. In the anthelmintic study it was observed that the Spirulina having anthelmintic property. Spirulina powder shown antihelmenthic activity at 150 mg/ml.

CONCLUSION:

Spirulina was assessed for antihelmenthetic study. antihelmenthetic activity exhibited by the higher concentration (150 mg/ml). The paralysis and death of the test organisms justifies the continued use of this Spirulina in folk and traditional medicinal practices. Studies should therefore be done in order to identify the active phytochemial constituents and evaluate their effectiveness in vitro so that they can be synthesized and commercially production begins in earnest.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

We are grateful to our Principal Dr. A. Ramesh, staff members, Director and our honorable chairman Sri. K. V. Vishnu Rajugaru of Vishnu Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research(VIPER), for providing us necessary facilities to carry out the research project.

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Received on 06.07.2017 Modified on 28.07.2017

Research J. Pharm. and Tech 2017; 10(10):3503-3505.

DOI: 10.5958/0974-360X.2017.00627.8