Evaluation of In Vitro anthelmintic activity of Cymbopogon citratus (lemon grass) extract

Abstract

Lemon grass a popular aromatic plant which is commonly used as a substitute of green tea has a tremendous phytomedicinal potential. Like other tea plants it also having antimicrobial as well as antiprotozoal potential. Main objective of the present study was to find out the anthelmintic potential of aqueous extract of Cymbopogon citratus (lemon grass) by using a model worm i.e. Pheretima posthuma (earthworm). In this bioassay, three different concentrations i.e. 25, 50 and 1000mg/ml of above mentioned extract were tested in bioassay by noting time of paralysis and time of death of worms in minutes. Piperazine citrate was used as a standard reference compound along with normal saline as control in the same concentrations. The results indicated that lemon grass crude extract possessed anthelmintic activity in dose dependent manner.