EFFECT OF ETHANOL EXTRACT OF TERMINALIA CHEBULA ON THE MOTILITY AND ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE OF COTYLOPHORON COTYLOPHORUM

Cotylophoron cotylophorum, the parasite of ruminants cause a disease called paramphistomosis. Paramphistomosis in domesticated ruminants cause considerable economic loss to the livestock industry in India. In the present study, the anthelmintic activity of Terminalia chebula was assessed based on its effects on the motility and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) of the digenetic trematode C. cotylophorum in vitro. The flukes were exposed to five different sub-lethal concentration of ethanol extract of Terminalia chebula (TcEE) for 2, 4 and 8h. The motility response of the drug-treated parasites was recorded with the aid of Electronic micromotility meter (EMM). Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity of the C. cotylophorum was assayed following standard method. The maximum inhibition of motility and AChE activity was observed at 0.5 mg/ml concentration after 8 h of exposure. Inhibition of AChE activity increased with an increase in the drug concentration and the period of exposure.  AChE is an enzyme involved in neurotransmission. The ethanol extract of Terminalia chebula (TcEE) inhibits the AChE and affect the motor activity of the parasites, thus the parasite lose its biochemical hold fast and get expelled from the host.