Korean J Parasitol.  2009 Dec;47(4):377-380. 10.3347/kjp.2009.47.4.377.

In Vitro Screening of Anti-lice Activity of Pongamia pinnata Leaves

• Samuel A
• Radhamani
• Gopinath R
• Kalusalingam A
• Vimala A
• Husain HA

• KMID: 1720639
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2009.47.4.377

Abstract

Growing patterns of pediculocidal drug resistance towards head louse laid the foundation for research in exploring novel anti-lice agents from medicinal plants. In the present study, various extracts of Pongamia pinnata leaves were tested against the head louse Pediculus humanus capitis. A filter paper diffusion method was conducted for determining the potential pediculocidal and ovicidal activity of chloroform, petroleum ether, methanol, and water extracts of P. pinnata leaves. The findings revealed that petroleum ether extracts possess excellent anti-lice activity with values ranging between 50.3% and 100% where as chloroform and methanol extracts showed moderate pediculocidal effects. The chloroform and methanol extracts were also successful in inhibiting nymph emergence and the petroleum ether extract was the most effective with a complete inhibition of emergence. Water extract was devoid of both pediculocidal and ovicidal activities. All the results were well comparable with benzoyl benzoate (25% w/v). These results showed the prospect of using P. pinnata leave extracts against P. humanus capitis in difficult situations of emergence of resistance to synthetic anti-lice agents.

Keyword

Pongamia pinnata; leaves; anti-lice activity; filter paper bioassay; head louse

MeSH Terms

Animals
Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
Insecticides/isolation & purification/*pharmacology
Lice/*drug effects
Millettia/*chemistry
Plant Extracts/isolation & purification/*pharmacology
Plant Leaves/*chemistry
Survival Analysis