Acomparative Study on the Efficacy of Some Ethiopian Traditional Taenicides As Tested on the Earthworm
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Date
1993-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Intestinal parasitic infections represent serious
medical and public health problems in many developing
countries especially in the tropical regions. Taeniasis
and cysticercosis have been recognized as important
problems not only because of their impact on health but
also because of economic losses resulting from
condemnation of infected carcasses. The most frequently
sold traditional medicines in Ethiopia are the
taenicides. This is apparently due to the high prevalence
of taeniasis in this country. Although a number of
writers have mentioned a list of traditional taenicidal
drugs in Ethiopia, very little serious work has been
carried out to determine their relative efficacy. The
present study is a contribution towards that end.
TWelve traditional drugs used against human taeniasis in
Ethiopia were screened for their taenicidal properties
using the earthworm. The drugs were extracted using
water and ethanol. The potency of the traditional drug
extracts was compared with that of a commercial
taeniacide, niclosamide. Results showed that Hagenia
abyssinica (Kosso) is the most potent traditional
taeniacide, followed by Glinus lotoides (Mettere),
Albizia anthelmintica (Musenna), and, Myrsine africana
(Ketchemo) in that order.
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Biology