• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• 제3권4호
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• pp.180-186
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• 2003

Effect of aqueous and alcoholic extracts of the roots of Mirabilis jalapa Linn. Four Oclock plant, on the spontaneous movements of both the whole worm and the nerve-muscle (n.m.) preparation of Setaria cervi and on the survival of microfilariae in vitro was studied. Alcoholic extract caused the inhibition of spontaneous movements of the whole worm and the n.m. preparation of S. cervi, whereas aqueous extract caused inhibition of spontaneous movements of the n.m. preparation. The initial stimulatory effect was not observed by aqueous and alcoholic extracts on n.m. preparation while effect of alcoholic extract on the whole worm was characterized by an increase in the amplitude of contractions followed by reversible paralysis. The concentrations required to inhibit the movements of the whole worm and n.m. preparation for alcoholic extract of root were $270\;{\mu}g/mL$ and $40\;{\mu}g/mL$, respectively whereas an aqueous extract caused inhibition of n.m. preparation at $30\;{\mu}g/mL$ suggesting a cuticular permeability barrier. Alcoholic extract of the roots of M. jalapa caused concentration related effect on the survival of microfilariae of S. cervi. The $LC_{50}$ and $LC_{90}$ for alcoholic extract as observed after 6 hrs. were found to be 10 ng/mL and 18 ng/mL., respectively.