Anthelmintic and cytotoxic activity of the ethanolic extract of Phoenix sylvestris root

Abstract

The present study examined the anthelmintic and cytotoxic properties of the ethanolic crude root extract of Phoenix sylvestris Roxb (family: arecaceae). In anthelmintic test, the extract showed significant and dose dependent (25, 50, 100, 200 mg/mL) decrease in paralysis time and death time of Haemonchus contortus (Nematode). However, the crude extract showed low toxicity (IC₅₀  58.745 μg/ml) against brine shrimp nauplii in comparion with  vincristine sulphate (IC₅₀ 0.6449 μg/ml). The results support the traditional medicinal uses of P. sylvestris agains worm infections.