title: Anthelmintic activity of selected ethno-medicinal plant extracts on parasitic stages of Haemonchus contortus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Parasitic roundworms (nematodes) cause substantial morbidity and mortality in livestock animals globally, and considerable productivity losses to farmers. The control of these nematodes has relied largely on the use of a limited number of anthelmintics. However, resistance to many of these these anthelmintics is now widespread, and, therefore, there is a need to find new drugs to ensure sustained and effective treatment and control into the future.
  
  
  METHODS
  Recently, we developed a screening assay to test natural, plant extracts with known inhibitory effects against the free-living worm Caenorhabditis elegans. Using this assay, we assessed here the effects of the extracts on motility and development of parasitic larval stages of Haemonchus contortus, one of the most important nematodes of small ruminants worldwide.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study showed that two of five extracts from Picria fel-terrae Lour. have a significant inhibitory effect (at concentrations of 3-5 mg/ml) on the motility and development of H. contortus larvae. Although the two extracts originated from the same plant, they displayed different levels of inhibition on motility and development, which might relate to the presence of various active constituents in these extracts, or the same constituents at different concentrations in distinct parts of the plant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that extracts from P. fel-terrae Lour. have promising anthelmintic activity and that more broadly, plant extracts are a potential rich source of anthelmintics to combat helminthic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia.
authors.forename: Rasika
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumarasingha
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Preston
authors.affiliation: Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC), KM 20 Jalan Borneo Heights, Semengoh, Locked Bag No. 3032, 93990, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Tiong-Chia
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Yeo
authors.affiliation: Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC), KM 20 Jalan Borneo Heights, Semengoh, Locked Bag No. 3032, 93990, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Diana S L
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Sarawak Biodiversity Centre (SBC), KM 20 Jalan Borneo Heights, Semengoh, Locked Bag No. 3032, 93990, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Chu-Lee
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology, Swinburne University of Technology, Victoria, 3122, Australia.
authors.forename: Enzo A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Palombo
authors.affiliation: Department of Health and Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health, Arts and Design, Swinburne University of Technology, Victoria, 3122, Australia.
authors.forename: Jillian M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia. robinbg@unimelb.edu.au.
authors.forename: Robin B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Gasser
authors.affiliation: Development and Stem Cells Program, Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, 3800, Australia. peter.boag@monash.edu.|Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia. peter.boag@monash.edu.
authors.forename: Peter R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Boag
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006189:Haemonchus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Anthelmintic activity; Developmental assay; In vitro-assay; Medicinal plant extracts