Muhammad Hambal1*, Henni Vanda2, Siti Rani Ayuti3

Abstract | Paramphistomum cervi infects ruminants and wildlife with significant economic losses. Anthelmintic resistance and high cost of treatment could be resolved by using traditional herbs to replace synthetic drugs. Nigella sativa is one of the alternative plants to treat paramphistomiasis. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of N. sativa seed extract towards adult Paramphistomum flukes in vitro. The flukes were divided into six groups, consisted of ten flukes each, and soaked in 5% (T1), 10% (T2), 25% (T3), 40% (T4) N. sativa extract, in PBS (C0) as the negative control, and also in albendazole (C1) as the positive control. The motility and mortality time of flukes were recorded, and the dead flukes were further prepared for histopathology observation. The results revealed that treatment and control groups were significantly different (p<0.05). The most effective concentration was 40% N. sativa (T4), followed by T3, T2, and T1. N. sativa extract had stronger effect than albendazole towards P. cervi in vitro. In term of histological findings, the flukes in T3 and T4 showed disintegration and breaking of tegument, and necrose of parenchyma cells, while in T1 and T2, the tegument was still intact. Reproductive organs were also affected by N. sativa extract. We concluded that 25% and 40% of N. sativa seed extract showed good anthelmintic property. The results suggested the potential of. N. sativa extract for advancing plant-based anthelmintics to control P. cervi.

Keywords | Anthelmintic property, Nigella sativa, Paramphistomum cervi, histopathological changes, in vitro.