The Assessment of the Anthelmintic Activity of Laurus nobilis Extract in Mice Naturally Infected with Aspiculuris tetraptera
Authors: Mares Mohammed M. , Murshed Mutee , Aljawdah Hossam M.A. , Al-Quraishy Saleh 
Published: November 2023

Background: The safety of laboratory mice plays an important role in the success of laboratory experiments for correct and accurate results. Parasites are one of the most common diseases that affect most organisms. The worm Aspiculuris tetraptera is a common intestinal parasite of Mus musculus and rats, it is spread around the world. Aspiculuris tetraptera infection remains a problem for modern research groups; They should be excluded and monitored in rat populations due to their effects on animal health. Methods: The present study was conducted to assess the anthelmintic activity of Laurus nobilis extract in mice naturally infected with Aspiculuris tetraptera. Used was Thirty-six adult male and female (C57BL/6) mice, naturally infected with Aspiculuris tetraptera, were divided into six groups, each comprising six mice: Group 1, was the negative control (infected, untreated) and Groups 2, 3, 4 and 5 were treated with 50, 100, 200 and 400 µg/ml of L. nobilis for 5 days respectively. Group 6 was treated with 10 mg/mL Albendazole for 3 days as a positive control. Different six treatments were used to test Aspiculuris tetraptera worms in vitro, Containing 4 concentrations (50, 100, 200 and 400 mg/ml) of L. nobilis extract. Ten actively moving adult worms were then placed in each petri dish at room temperature. A saline solution and 10 mg/ml of Albendazole were prepared and used as negative and positive controls. After treatment, observations were made by recording the death time for worms at 20, 40, 80, 120 and 180 minutes. Worms are considered dead if they do not move for 30 seconds after touching their body parts using a surgical needle and the petri dish is shaken. Result: The analysis of phytochemicals by FT-IR for alcoholic extracts of L. nobilis extracts revealed the presence of 15% effective chemical ingredients responsible for killing worms’ activity. In vitro, worms died in 20, 40, 80, 120 and 180 minutes. Attained 96% and 100% after 180 minutes at the highest concentrations (200 and 400 mg/ml). At the same time, the untreated group lasted for long hours. The effects of the plant extract (Laurus nobilis) on Aspiculuris tetraptera worms were studied in vivo at therapeutic doses of 50, 100, 200 and 400 mg/mL. and the concentration of 400 ml/kg showed the most lethal effects for worms, infected mice that did not receive drugs were compared with the highest concentration of the extract and the reference treatment. The attention showed significant differences P≤0.05. The results showed that the mortality rate of worms taken from the intestines of the treated mice that were slaughtered three and six sdays after giving the treatment reached 96% and 100% in the concentration of 400 ml/kg of the extract and 89% and 97%for the mice that treated in 10 ml/kg of met Albendazole respectively. This research showed that herbal remedies could lead to new parasitic disease drugs, and their derivatives can be used for medication production and bioactivity improvement.