IN VITRO ANTHELMINTIC ACTIVITY OF CASEARIA VARECA ROXB.-AN ENDEMIC PLANT OF ASSAM

Ethyl acetate and Methanolic extracts from the leaves of Casearia vareca Roxb. (Flacourtiaceae) were investigated for their anthelmintic activity against adult Indian earthworm, Pheretima posthuma and nematode, Ascardia galli. Various concentrations (10, 20, 50 mg/ml) of each extract were tested in the bioassay, which involved determination of time of paralysis and time of death of the worms. Both the extracts exhibited significant anthelmintic activity at the highest concentration of 50 mg/ml. Piperazine citrate (15 mg/ml) and Albendazole (20 mg/ml) were used as standard references while 0.5% carboxy methyl cellulose (CMC) in normal saline as control.