INVITRO ANTIHELMINTHIC ACTIVITY OF RAUWOLFIA SERPENTINA ON PHERETIMA POSTHUMA

Antihelmintics are the drugs used to eradicate or reside the number of helmintic parasites from intestinal tract or tissue of humans and other animals. The antihelmintic activity of Rauwolfia serpentina root extracts were evaluated separately on adult Indian earthworm (Pheretima posthuma). It was found that methanolic extract and aqueous extract of Rauwolfia serpentina showed antihelmintic activity at various concentration (50,100 and 200 mg/ml). The standard drug used was Albendazole (50, 100 and 200 mg/ml). The methanolic extract of Rauwolfia serpentina showed better result when compared to aqueous extract. Keywords: Antihelmintics, Rauwolfia serpentina, Albendazole and Pheretima posthuma.