Molluscicidal Effects of Aqueous Extracts of Selected Medicinal Plants from Makueni County, Kenya
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Date
2015
Authors
Mwonga, Kimeu B
Waniki, Njagi E. N. M
Ngugi, M Piero
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Pharmaceutica Analytica Acta
Abstract
Schistosomiasis (also known as Bilharzia) is a disease caused by species of parasitic worms or helminths of
the genus Schistosoma. It continues to be a serious worldwide public health problem. The pathological changes in
schistosome infestations are caused mainly by the deposition of the eggs into various tissues and organs where
granulomas or pseudo tubercles are formed around them. Schistosomes and their intermediate snail hosts are
integral parts of the freshwater aquatic environments in which they are found. Biomphalaria and Bulinus are the two
primary genera of snails capable of harbouring infections with Schistosoma mansoni and S. haematobium. Some
of the methods of controlling of schistosomiasis include: control of snails, public health education, sanitation, and
community-based chemotherapy employing praziquantel. No single method, regardless of location, has been shown
to work because of the large number of environmental variables involved in the parasitic transmission. Some of the
control programmes have been those that include some method of curbing transmission, including mollusciciding.
The objective of this study was to bioscreen aqueous extracts of five medicinal plants identified using ethnobotanical
information gathered from traditional healers for molluscicidal activity. Molluscicidal activity was assessed by
determining the ability of various concentrations of the aqueous plant extracts to kill adult Biomphalaria pfeifferi, the
intermediate host of Schistosoma mansoni. Of the five plant extracts, only the aqueous extracts of Aloe secundiflora,
Aspilia pluriseta, Balanites aegyptiaca, Azadirachta indica and Amaranthus hybridus showed molluscicidal activity.
This study has established that five plants, that is, Aloe secundiflora, Aspilia pluriseta, Balanites aegyptiaca,
Azadirachta indica and Amaranthus hybridus have molluscicidal activity and recommends that toxicity studies be
conducted to establish their safety in bilharzia control.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
Schistosomiasis, Biomphalaria pfeifferi, Molluscicidal activity, Schistosoma mansoni
Citation
Mwonga, K. B., Waniki, N. E. N. M., Dorcas, Y. S., & Piero, N. M. (2015). Molluscicidal effects of aqueous extracts of selected medicinal plants from Makueni County, Kenya. Pharm Anal Acta, 6, 445.