CURCIN FROM JATROPHA CURCAS SEED AS A POTENTIAL ANTHELMINTHIC

Jummai, A.T¹ and Okoli, B.J²

¹National Biotechnology Development Agency, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Abuja, Nigeria. 

²Department of Chemistry, Bingham University, Karu, Nassarawa State, Nigeria.

E-mail: okolibj@binghamuni.edu.ng

ABSTRACT

The study was done with the aim to evaluate the anthelmintic activity of curcin from Jatropha curcas seedusing adult earthworm Pheritima posthuma against Niclosamide (5 mg/mL) as standard references and normal saline as control. The activities of the possible crude curcin was determined on the tested parasites in this study so as to verify if the Jatropha curcas seed would be a potential sources of useful anthelminthic drugs by monitoring the time to achieve paralysis of the worms was determined. In the acute toxicity test, toxic signs were observed at 300mg/kg. However, the Pheritima posthuma displayed physical changes with LD₅₀ of 800mg/kg per body weight. The toxicity of curcin in Pheritima posthuma is high; however, caution should be exercised in its use especially at high doses.