KATAMSSADAN HAMAN TOFEL1,2,4*, GILLIAN AWAFOR3, JOAN EYONG ECHI EBANGA3, NGUM HELEN NTONIFOR2
1Department of Phytosanitary Protection, Higher Institute Agriculture, Wood, Water Resources and Environment, The University of Bertoua, Cameroon
2Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, The University of Bamenda, Cameroon
3Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Science, The University of Bamenda, Cameroon
4Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
*Corresponding author: tofelhama@yahoo.fr
ABSTRACT
Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease transmitted by freshwater snails with infected Schistosoma parasites. The disease is endemic in many parts of Asia, Africa, and South America affecting people who cannot avoid contact with water, either because of their profession or because of a lack of reliable source of safe water for drinking, washing and bathing. Seed oil extract of Azadirachta indica as well as the aqueous and ethanol extracts of Areca catechu were tested on freshwater snails Bulinus sp. Bioassays were performed on eggs and adults of snails at varying concentrations (1, 2.5, 5, 7 and 10 mL/L for A. indica oil and 50, 100, 200, 400, 800 and 1600 mg/L for both the aqueous and ethanol extracts of A. catechu). The result revealed that mortality increased with ascending concentration. There was a significant difference in the molluscicidal activities of the three extracts (P < 0.05). Among the tested the plant extracts, A. indica seed oil showed the highest molluscicidal activity (100%) from 7 mL/L. Meanwhile, the lowest molluscicidal activity (2.5%) was found in the A. catechu aqueous extract. It was also observed that the potency of the extracts to inhibit egg hatching increased as the concentrations increased. Azadirachta indica seed oil and the ethanolic extract of A. cathetu could be considered as a veritable means of controlling the schistosomiasis vector. Also, in endemic areas where communities are likely to accept the use of local plants, the studied plants stand as good candidates to replace the expensive conventional medicines.
Keywords: Schistosomiasis, Bulinus sp, Azadirachta indica, Areca catechu, efficacy.
RÉSUMÉ
La schistosomiase est une maladie parasitaire transmise Ă l’homme par un escargot d’eau douce porteur des schistosomes. La maladie est endĂ©mique dans de nombreuses rĂ©gions d’Asie, d’Afrique et d’AmĂ©rique du Sud et touche les personnes qui ne peuvent Ă©viter le contact avec l’eau, soit en raison de leur profession, soit en raison de l’absence d’une source fiable d’eau potable pour boire, se laver et se baigner. L’extrait d’huile de graines d’Azadirachta indica et les extraits aqueux et Ă©thanoliques d’Areca catechu ont Ă©tĂ© testĂ©s sur des escargots d’eau douce Bulinus sp. Des bioessais ont Ă©tĂ© rĂ©alisĂ©s sur des Ĺ“ufs et des adultes d’escargots Ă diffĂ©rentes concentrations (1, 2,5, 5, 7 et 10 mL/L pour l’huile d’A. indica et 50, 100, 200, 400, 800 et 1600 mg/L pour les extraits aqueux et Ă©thanol d’A. catechu). Les rĂ©sultats ont rĂ©vĂ©lĂ© que la mortalitĂ© a augmentĂ© avec la concentration. Il y a une diffĂ©rence significative dans les activitĂ©s molluscicides des trois extraits (P < 0,05). L’huile de d’A. indica a montrĂ© l’activitĂ© molluscicide la plus Ă©levĂ©e (100%) Ă partir de 7 mL/L. En revanche, l’extrait aqueux d’A. catechu a prĂ©sentĂ© l’activitĂ© molluscicide la plus faible (2,5%). Il a Ă©galement Ă©tĂ© observĂ© que la capacitĂ© des extraits Ă inhiber l’Ă©closion des Ĺ“ufs augmente avec les concentrations. L’huile d’A. indica et l’extrait Ă©thanolique d’A. catechu pourraient ĂŞtre considĂ©rĂ©s comme de vĂ©ritables moyens de lutte contre le vecteur de la schistosomiase. De plus, dans les zones endĂ©miques oĂą les communautĂ©s sont susceptibles d’accepter l’utilisation de plantes locales, les plantes Ă©tudiĂ©es pourraient remplacer les mĂ©dicaments conventionnels qui sont coĂ»teux.
Mots clés : Schistosomiase, Bulinus sp, Azadirachta indica, Areca catechu, efficacité.