Aim of present study was to screen medicinal plants for flukicidal activity in vitro
to develop alternative sources of treatment for trematodes infection. For this purpose, crude
methanolic extracts (CME) of Cymbopogn jwarancusa and Conyza canadensis were prepared
and live adult flukes viz; Fasciola gigantica, and Paramphistomum cervi isolated from liver
and bile ducts of slaughtered buffalo were subjected to different drug concentrations as well
as positive and negative control. Motility inhibition and paralysis leading to the death of
parasites was considered as flukicidal activity of plants extracts. The results revealed that
CME of C. jwarancusa and C. canadensis showed significant (P<0.05) flukicidal activity
compared to positive control. Also there was a significant effect of different concentrations
(P<0.05) and exposure of time on the flukes (P<0.05). Furthermore, ED50 for C. jwarancusa
and C. canadensis against F. gigantica were 13.1 and 41.4 mg/ml, respectively. In the case of
P. cervi, it was 10.8 and 29.0 mg/ml. It can be concluded that both tested plants showed
greater flukicidal activity as compared to positive control with Albendazole till the 8th hr.
These potent plants needs further studies invivo to elucidate their mode of action.