In vivo anthelmintic activity of Carex baccans and its active principle resveratrol against Hymenolepis diminuta.

Anthelmintic resistance against most of the commercial drugs is a great threat to humans as well as the veterinary live stocks. Hence, new treatment strategies to control helminth infections are essential at this hour. Carex baccans Nees has been traditionally used by Jaintia tribes in Northeast India to get rid of intestinal worm infections. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate in vivo cestocidal activity of root tuber extract of C. baccans and its active component resveratrol against the zoonotic cestode Hymenolepis diminuta in the experimental model rat. The cestocidal activity was determined by monitoring the eggs per gram (EPG) counts in faeces of different treated groups. The result showed that the highest dose of the plant extract (50 mg/kg) and resveratrol (4.564 mg/kg body weight) has significant anthelmintic efficacy against H. diminuta. Crude extract of the plant as well as resveratrol reduced EPG count (56.012 and 46.049 %) and also resulted in decreased worm burden by 44.287 and 31.034 %, respectively. The efficacy of the crude extract and resveratrol can be compared to the reference drug praziquantel. The results exhibits considerable cestocidal potential of root tuber crude extract of C. baccans and resveratrol and justify its folklore use.