Phytochemical Screening and in-Vivo Anthelmintic Activity of Allium sativum Leaf Extract

Abstract

Onyinyechi Uloma. Akoh*, Onuchi Marygem Mac-Kalunta and Okoche Kelvin Amadi

The anthelmintic potency of ethanol extracts of Allium sativum was determined in-vivo against a round worm by infecting group of mice orally. Preliminary phytochemical screening revealed the presence of tannin, flavonoid, saponin, alkaloid and glycoside in the plant while anthraquinone was absent. The ethanol extract of garlic was observed to be potent against Ascaris lumbricoides with percentage fall egg count of 80.73% for 200mg/kg of garlic extract 84.26% for 400mg/kg of garlic and 91.78% for 800mg/kg of garlic extract respectively. The acute toxicity effect of the garlic extract recorded was zero (0%) mortality for all dose given to the mice. Allicin, the sulfur-containing compound in garlic acts not only by killing gastrointestinal parasites but also enhances natural immunity of the host. These findings therefore justify the traditional medicinal use of garlic.