title: Evaluation of anthelmintic potential of the Ethiopian medicinal plant Embelia schimperi Vatke in vivo and in vitro against some intestinal parasites.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Embelia schimperi has been used for the treatment of intestinal parasites especially tapeworm infestations for centuries in Ethiopia. However, there is lack of scientific based evidences regarding the efficacy, safety and phytochemical analysis of this plant despite its frequent use as an anthelmintic. This study has therefore evaluated the efficacy and acute toxicity of E. schimperi thereby generating relevant preclinical information.
  
  
  METHODS
  The anthelmintic activities of the crude hydroalcoholic extract of E. schimperi and the isolated compound, embelin, were conducted using in vivo and in vitro models against the dwarf tapeworm, Hymenolepis nana, and the hookworm, Necator americanus, respectively. LD50 of the crude hydroalcoholic extract was determined using Swiss albino mice following the OECD guidelines. Chemical characterization of the isolated embelin was conducted using UV-spectroscopy, HPLC and NMR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the acute toxicity study no prominent signs of toxicity and mortality were recorded among the experimental animals at the highest administered dose. Hence the LD50 of the plant was found to be higher than 5000 mg/kg. In vivo cestocidal activity of the crude hydroalcoholic extract of E. schimperi showed 100% parasite clearance at 1000 mg/kg, while the diammonium salt of embelin showed 85.3% parasite clearance at 750 mg/kg. The in vitro anthelminthic activity study revealed that the LC50 value of the crude extract and albendazole were 228.7 and 51.33 μg/mL, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results clearly indicated that the hydroalcoholic extract of E. schimperi and the diammonium salt of the isolated compound embelin had anthelmintic activity against hookworm larva in vitro and H. nana in vivo. Hence the findings of this study showed Embelia schimperi appears to possess some anthelmintic activity that may support the usage of these plants by local traditional healers to treat helminthic infestations.
authors.affiliation: Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Biomedical and Clinical Research Team, Traditional and Modern Medicine Research Directorate, P.O.Box 1242, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. papioan@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Yared
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Debebe
authors.affiliation: Ethiopian Public Health Institute, National Polio Laboratory, P.O.Box 1242, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. mesfin_07@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mesfin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tefera
authors.affiliation: Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Biomedical and Clinical Research Team, Traditional and Modern Medicine Research Directorate, P.O.Box 1242, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. WalelignM@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Walelign
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mekonnen
authors.affiliation: Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Natural products Research Team, Traditional and Modern Medicine Research Directorate, P.O.Box 1242, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. dawisoul@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Dawit
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Abebe
authors.affiliation: Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Biomedical and Clinical Research Team, Traditional and Modern Medicine Research Directorate, P.O.Box 1242, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Samuelwoldekidan@rocketmail.com.
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Woldekidan
authors.affiliation: Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Biomedical and Clinical Research Team, Traditional and Modern Medicine Research Directorate, P.O.Box 1242, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. abiyabg@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Abiy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abebe
authors.affiliation: Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Natural products Research Team, Traditional and Modern Medicine Research Directorate, P.O.Box 1242, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. yehualashete.belete3@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Yehualashet
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Belete
authors.affiliation: Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Biomedical and Clinical Research Team, Traditional and Modern Medicine Research Directorate, P.O.Box 1242, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. temeadonay@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Temesgen
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Menberu
authors.affiliation: Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Biomedical and Clinical Research Team, Traditional and Modern Medicine Research Directorate, P.O.Box 1242, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. betelhemb7@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Bethelhem
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Belayneh
authors.affiliation: Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Natural products Research Team, Traditional and Modern Medicine Research Directorate, P.O.Box 1242, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. rberhanu@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Berhanu
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tesfaye
authors.affiliation: Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Natural products Research Team, Traditional and Modern Medicine Research Directorate, P.O.Box 1242, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. ibranaser@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nasir
authors.affiliation: Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Biomedical and Clinical Research Team, Traditional and Modern Medicine Research Directorate, P.O.Box 1242, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Y.kidist@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Kidist
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yirsaw
authors.affiliation: Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Biomedical and Clinical Research Team, Traditional and Modern Medicine Research Directorate, P.O.Box 1242, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. hirut_basha@yahoo.com.|College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, P.O.Box 9086, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. hirut_basha@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Hirut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Basha
authors.affiliation: Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Biomedical and Clinical Research Team, Traditional and Modern Medicine Research Directorate, P.O.Box 1242, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. dawitasrat53@yahoo.com.|College of Health Sciences, Addis Ababa University, P.O.Box 9086, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. dawitasrat53@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Asrat
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dawit
authors.affiliation: Ethiopian Public Health Institute, Natural products Research Team, Traditional and Modern Medicine Research Directorate, P.O.Box 1242, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. asfawdebella@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Asfaw
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Debella
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D031645:Embelia / Q000737:chemistry*; D005002:Ethiopia; D006925:Hymenolepiasis / Q000469:parasitology; D048189:Hymenolepis nana / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D010936:Plant Extracts