COMPARATIVE STUDIES OF ETHYL ACETATE EXTRACT OF MUSA PARADISIACA (MUSA SAPIENTUM) (MUSACEAE) FOR ANTHELMINTIC ACTIVITY

The present study was carried out to evaluate the anthelmintic activity of Musa paradisiaca stem extract. The stem of Musa paradisiaca was dried, powdered, and extracted using the Sox hlet extraction method with ethyl acetate as the solvent. The obtained extract was subjected to preliminary phytochemical screening, which revealed the presence of bioactive compounds such as tannins, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, alkaloids, steroids, and glycosides. These phytoconstituents are known to possess potential antiparasitic properties. The anthelmintic activity of the ethyl acetate extract was evaluated using earthworms as the experimental model and compared with the standard drug mebendazole. Different concentrations of the extract were tested, and the time required for paralysis and death of the worms was recorded. The results demonstrated that the extract exhibited dose-dependent anthelmintic activity. At higher concentrations (10 mg/ml), the extract showed significant activity, producing paralysis and death of worms in a shorter time, comparable to the standard drug. The observed activity may be attributed to the presence of tannins and phenolic compounds, which can interfere with the metabolism and neuromuscular coordination of helminths. The study suggests that Musa paradisiaca stem extract possesses promising anthelmintic potential and may serve as a natural alternative for the development of herbal anthelmintic agents.