THE ANTI-Spasmodic AND ANThelmintic Effects of NYCTANTHES ARBORTRISTIS LINN.

Abstract

Using a guinea pig ileum preparation against acetylcholine, the antispasmodic activity of several ethanolic extracts of
Nyctanthes arbortristis Linn. was assessed. We used earthworms (Pheretima posthuma) to test for anthelmintic activity, as
reported by Kailashraj and Kurup. While the extracts did show some antispasmodic efficacy, it was not nearly as strong as
piperazine citrate. The worms were killed by the plant's seeds and blooms, and its ethanolic extracts exhibited concentrationdependent paralytic action. Additionally, it was noted that the presence of atropine intensified the paralytic and fatal effects of
the corresponding ethanolic extracts. It demonstrates that the extracts' anthelmintic impact is a result of their ability to
suppress motility by reducing sensitivity to the contractile action of acetylcholine