In vitro anthelmintic activity of Dryopteris filix-mas (male fern) against Haemonchus contortus

The present study was aimed to evaluate the phytochemicals, antioxidant ability and in vitro anthelmintic effect of Dryopteris filix-mas whole plant against Haemonchus contortus. Phytochemical analysis in methanol extracts was done by chemical tests and gas chromatography coupled to a mass spectrophotometer detector (GC-MS). An in-vitro free radical scavenging activity of the different extracts was determined by 2,2-azino bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) method. Crude aqueous, methanol, ethanol, hydro alcohol and acetone extracts (@ 0.01 to 10.0 mg/ml) were evaluated for their anthelmintic activity against eggs and larvae of H. contortus using egg hatch assay (EHA) and larval mortality assay (LMA). The methanol extract of the plant was rich in phenols, tannins and saponins. Geraniol and 1’-Hydroxy-4,3’-dimethyl-bicyclohexyl-3,3’-dien-2-one were the main phytochemicals found in methanol extract of D. filix-mas. The antioxidant activity was high (89.63%). Addition of powder to the faecal culture (@ 300 mg/g of faeces) resulted into 96% reduction in larval development. On EHA, the hydro alcohol and methanol extracts showed excellent ovicidal activity. In LMA, all the extracts (except aqueous) showed excellent larvicidal activity, which needs more investigation, especially through in vivo trials for their use as an anthelmintic.