Antifilarial activity of Zoanthus species (Phylum Coelenterata, Class Anthzoa) against human lymphatic filaria, Brugia malayi.

The chloroform methanol (1:1) extract of an unidentified green zoanthus (Phylum Coelenterata, Class Anthozoa) showed promising in vitro adulticidal activity with a lethal concentration of 125 microg/ml on Brugia malayi. This extract brought about a 52.2% reduction in circulating microfilariae of B. malayi when administered to infected Mastomys coucha at 250 mg/kg, orally for 5 consecutive days. Further fractionation of the extract led to the recovery of four fractions, which were evaluated simultaneously in both in vitro and in vivo systems against B. malayi. The chloroform fraction at 250 mg/kg orally for 5 days exhibited the highest macrofilaricidal action (42.5%), closely followed by the insoluble n-butanol fraction (34.3%), the soluble hexane fraction (32.4%), and the soluble n-butanol fraction (20.4%). In addition, the hexane soluble fraction caused 44.3% sterilization of the surviving female parasites. Two compounds isolated were found devoid of antifilarial activity. Copyright 2004 Springer-Verlag