PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND IN VITRO EFFECTS OF Azadirachta indicaMETHANOL EXTRACTS ON CERCARIA OF Biomphalaria glabrata
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62050/fjst2026.v10n1.618Keywords:
Azadirachta indica, cercaricidal, in vitro, phytochemical, schistosomiasisAbstract
Biomphalaria glabrata are freshwater snail vectors that harbor S. mansoni parasites, a major Neglected Tropical Disease in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa; responsible for schistosomiasis. This research investigated the cercaricidal effects of Azadirachta indica (A. indica) methanolic extracts on S. mansoni cercaria. Fresh A. indica leaves and stem-bark were removed, shade-dried and pound. Phytochemical screening and Soxhlet extraction were carried out. Concentrations at 0.5-5.0 μg/ml were prepared. Cercariae from B. glabrata snails were shed under 100W light bulb for 2 h. These were challenged with the leaf and stem bark extracts. Mortality of each concentration was observed under a stereo microscope at 10-60 min of post exposure (PE). Results revealed that the presence of bioactive compounds include alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, cardiac glycosides and carbohydrate. Cardiac glycosides and carbohydrates were the most abundance in the leaf, while flavonoids and tannins were the most abundant in stem bark. A. indica extracts demonstrated cercaricidal effect in a dose and time-dependent pattern. Mortality was recorded at 1.0 μg/ml in 30 minutes, PE. At 5.0μg/ml, there was 100% mortality in 10-20 min of PE (19.00+0.58a and 20.00+0.00a). The LC50, for stem bark and leaves were valued at 2.72 and 2.79μg/l respectively. There was no significant difference in mean mortality (p > 0.05) of both leave and stem bark extract (LSD = 0.82 and 2.30), respectively. Control showed motility all through the 60 min of PE. Both stem bark and leaf extracts of A. indica, upon further investigation, could be developed into juvenile schistosomicidal agent
Downloads
References
Abdel-Salam, H. M., Ramez, A. M. and AbdlGhany, S. R. (2025). Immunomodulation of Biomphalaria snails against Schistosoma mansoni infection using the parasite’s antigens as a novel method of schistosomiasis control in Egypt. Mansoura Journal of Biology, 72(3), 62-68.
Abdulkadir, A. R., Mat, N. and Jahan Md. S. (2017). In-vitro Antioxidant Potential in Leaf, Stem and Bark of Azadirachta indica. Pertanika Journal of Tropical Agricultural Science, 40(4), 497–506.
Abou El-Nour, M. F. (2021). Evaluation of molluscicidal, miracicidal and cercaricidal activities of crude aqueous extracts of Origanum majorana, Ziziphus spina-christi and Salvia fruticosaon Schistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma haematobium. Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Biology & Fisheries, 25(2), 913–933.
Abu Hawsah, M., Al-Otaibi, T., Alojayri, G., Al-Shaebi, E. M., Dkhil, M. A., Elkhadragy, M. F., Al-Quraish, S. and Abdel-Gaber, R. (2023). In vitro studies for the antiparasitic activities of Azadirachta indica extract. Food Science and Technology Campinas, 43, e117122. https://doi.org/10.1590/fst.117122
Acheampong, D. O., Owusu-Adzorah, N., Armah, F. K., Aninagyei, E., Asiamah, E. A., Thomford, A. K. and Anyan, W. K. (2020). Ethnopharmacological evaluation of schistosomicidal and cercaricidal activities of some selected medicinal plants from Ghana. Tropical Medicine and Health, 48, 19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41182-020-00205-y/
Ali, J., Rehman, I. and Bangash, J. A. (2022). hytochemicals content and in-vitro antioxidant properties of Azadirachta indica seeds, leaves and twigs prepared from different extraction techniques. International Journal of Engineering, Science and Techn., 14(4), 12-20.
Aminou, H. A., Mossalem, H. S. and Alam-Eldin, Y. (2020). Biocidal effect of Nigella sativa, Pelargonium graveolens and Azadirachta indica extracts on Bulinus truncatus snail and aquatic stages of Schistosoma haematobium. Parasitologists United Journal, 13(3), 150-157.
Arican-Goktas, H. D., Ittiprasert, W., Bridger, J. M. and Knight, M. (2014). Differential Spatial Repositioning of Activated Genes in Biomphalaria glabrata SnailsInfected with Schistosoma mansoni. PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 8(9): e3013. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003013
Basha H., and Mamo, H. (2021). The Activity of Plant Crude Extracts against Schistosoma mansoni. Journal of Parasitology Research, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/4397053.
Biswas, K., Chattopadhyay, I., Banerjee, R. K. and Bandyopadhyay, U. (2002). Biological activities and medicinal properties of neem (Azadirachta indica). Current Science, 82(11, 10), 1336-1345.
Buddenborg, S. K., Sankaranarayanan, G., Lotkowska, M. E., McCarthy, C., Wangwiwatsin, A., Soria, C. L. D., Seymour, L., Rinaldi, G. and Berriman, M. (2023). Schistosoma mansoni cercariae shedding. protocols.io https://dx.doi.org/10.17504/p rotocols.io.eq2ly7bbplx9/v1. Accessed: 11/22/2024.
Daben, M. R. and Mwansat, G. S. (2024). Phytochemical and in vitro bioactivity of Entada africana Guill & Perott (Fabaceae) stem bark methanol extracts on Schistosoma haematobium cercaria. International Research Journal of Biological Sciences, 13(1), 15-21.
Daben, M. R., Asor, J. E., Okon, O. E., Mwansat, G. S. and Dakul, D. A. (2023). Molluscicidal effects of n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol bark extracts of Entada africana Guill & Perott (Fabaceae) on the snail Bulinus globosus. Nigerian J. of Parasitology, 44(2), 281-294.
Daben, M. R., Mwansat, G. S., Dibal, M. A., Pukuma, S. M., and Njila, L. H. (2007). Prevalence and impact of urinary schistosomiasis amongst Fadama Famers in Bassa Local Government Area, Plateau State, Central, Nigeria. Nigerian J. of Experimental and Appl. Bio., 8 (2), 155 - 160.
Devi, J. and Sharma, R. M. (2023). Medicinal importance of Azadirachta indica: An overview. Journal of Drug Delivery and Therapeutics, 13(6), 159-165.
Etikan, Í., Abubakar, S. and Alkassim, A. (2017). The Kaplan-Meier estimate in survival analysis. Biometrics & Biostatistics Int. J., 5(2), 55-59.
Falade, M. O. and Otarigho, B. (2015). Shell morphology of three medical important tropical freshwater pulmonate snails from five sites in South-Western Nigeria. Int. J. of Zoological Research, 11, 140-150.
Francis, B. C. (2023). Antibacterial activity of Neem (Azadirachta indica) on Staphylococcus aureus. Journal of Health, Applied Sciences and Management, 7(1), 238-243.
Herrera-Calderon, O., Ejaz, K., Wajid, M., Shehzad, M., Tinco-Jayo, J. A., Enciso-Roca, E., Franco-Quino, C., Yuli-Posadas, R. Á. and Chumpitaz-Cerrate, V. (2019). Azadirachta indica: Antibacterial activity of neem against different strains of bacteria and their active constituents as preventive in various diseases. Pharmacognosy Journal, 11(6) Suppl., 1597-604.
Hu., F., Xie, S-Y., Yuan, M., Li, Y-F., Li, Z-J., Gao, Z-L., Lan, W-M., Liu, Y-M., Xu, J. and Lin, D. D. (2021). The Dynamic of hepatic fibrosis related to schistosomiasis and its risk factors in a cohort of China. Pathogens, 10, 1532. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10121532
Ibrahim, B., Ndukwe, G. I., Nock, I. H., Audu, P. A., Momoh, H. and Dambatta, M. (2017). Phytochemical analysis and in vitro anti-coccidial efficacy of methanolic extracts of the stem bark of Azadirachta indica A. Juss and Solanum dasyphyllum Schumach. Katsina J. of Natural and Applied Sci., 6(2), 136-143.
Kiros, G., Erko, B., Giday, M. and Mekonnen, Y. (2014). Laboratory assessment of molluscicidal and cercarial effects of Glinuslotoides fruits. BMC Research Notes, 7, 220. https://www.biomedcentral.com/1756-0500/7/220/
Malar, T. R. J. J., Antonyswamy, J., Vijayaraghavan, P., Kim, Y. O., Al-Ghamdi, A. A., Elshikh, M. S., Hatamleh, A. A., Al-Dosary, M. A., Na, S. W. and Kim, H-J. (2020). In-vitro phytochemical and pharmacological bio-efficacy studies on Azadirachta indica A. Juss and Melia azedarach Linn for anticancer activity. Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 27, 682-688.
Massaguni, R. and Latip, S. N. H. (2015). Assessment the Molluscicidal properties of Azadirachtin against golden apple snail, Pomaceacanaliculata. Malaysian Journal of Agricultural Science, 19(4), 781-789.
Mitta, G., Gourbal, B., Grunau, C., Knight, M., Bridger, J. M. and Théron, A. (2017). The compatibility between Biomphalaria glabrata snails and Schistosoma mansoni: An increasingly complex puzzle. Advances in Parasitology, 97, 111-145.
Mohammed, H. A. and Omer, A. F. (2015). Antibacterial activity of Azadirachta indica (Neem) leaf extract against bacterial pathogens in Sudan. American Journal of Research Communication, 3(5), 246-251.
Nagano, M. S. and Batalini, C. (2021). Phytochemical screening, antioxidant activity and potential toxicity of Azadirachta indica A. Juss (neem) leaves. Rev. Colomb. Cienc. Quím. Farm., 50(1), 29-47.
Ouerfelli, M.; Metón, I., Codina-Torrella, I. and Almajano, M. P. (2022). Antibacterial and antiproliferative activities of Azadirachta indica leaf extract and its effect on oil-in-water food emulsion stability. Molecules, 27, 7772. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27227772
Palasio, R. G. S., Guimarães, M. C. A., Ohlweiler, F. P. and Tuan, R. (2017). Molecular and morphological identification of Biomphalaria species from the state of São Paulo, Brazil. ZooKeys, 668, 11–32. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.668.10562/
Peter, A. K., Paul, A., Olabisi, L. and Clement, A. (2020). Synergistic Evaluation of Moringa oleifera, Hunteria umbellate and Azadirachta indica with antibiotics against environmental MRSA isolates: An in-vitro study. American Journal of Bioscience, 8(4), 91-98.
Redfern, J., Kinninmonth, M., Burdass, D. and Verran, J. (2014). Using Soxhlet ethanol extraction to produce and test plant material (essential oils) for their antimicrobial properties. Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education, 45-46. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.v15i1.656
Soni, N. and Singh, V. K. (2015). Molluscicidal activity of Tamarindus indica and Terminalia arjuna against Indoplanorbisexustus: A causative agent of trematodiasis. Scientia Agric., 12(3), 163-170.
Tembe-Fokunang, E. A., Charles, F., Kaba, N., Donatien, G., Michael, A. and Bonaventure, N. (2019). The potential pharmacological and medicinal properties of neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) in the drug development of phytomedicine. Journal of Complementary and Alternative Medical Research, 7(1), 1-18.
Ujah, I. I., Nsude, C. A., Ani, O. N., Alozieuwa, U. B., Okpako, I. O. and Okwor, A. E. (2021). Phytochemicals of neem plant (Azadirachta indica) explains its use in traditional medicine and pest control. GSC Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, 14(02), 165–171.
WHO (2019). Guidelines for laboratory and field testing of molluscicides for control of schistosomiasis. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2019. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.pdf Retrieved from https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/311588/9789241515405-eng.pdf?ua=1 Accessed: 6/18/2025.
Younis, S. S., Abou-El-Naga, I. F. and Radwan, K. H. (2023). Molluscicidal effect of green synthesized silver nanoparticles using Azadirachta indica on Biomphalaria alexandrina snails and Schistosoma mansoni cercariae. Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine, 13(1), 35-44.
Zaib, N. A. N. M., Hashim, S. N., Hassan, W. R. M. and Tay, C. C. (2024). Molluscicidal Activity and inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity of Azadirachta indica extract on Pomacea canaliculate. Sains Malaysiana, 53(5), 1081-1091.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
How to Cite
