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Background  Onchocerciasis transmitted by  Onchocerca volvulus  is the second major cause of blindness in the world and it impacts negatively on the socio-economic development of the communities affected. Currently, ivermectin, a microfilaricidal drug is the only drug recommended for treating this disease. There have been speculations, of late, concerning  O. volvulus  resistance to ivermectin. Owing to this, it has become imperative to search for new drugs. World-wide, ethnomedicines including extracts of  Euphorbia hirta  and  Rauvolfia vomitoria  are used for treating various diseases, both infectious and non-infectious.    Method  In this study extracts of the two plants were evaluated  in vitro  in order to determine their effect against  O. volvulus  microfilariae. The toxicity of the  E. hirta  extracts on monkey kidney cell (LLCMK2) lines was also determined.    Results  The investigations showed that extracts of both plants immobilised microfilariae at different levels  in vitro  and, therefore, possess antifilarial properties. It was found that all the  E. hirta  extracts with the exception of the hexane extracts were more effective than those of  R. vomitoria . Among the extracts of  E. hirta  the ethyl acetate fraction was most effective, and comparable to that of dimethanesulphonate salt but higher than that of Melarsoprol (Mel B). However, the crude ethanolic extract of  E. hirta  was found to be the least toxic to the LLCMK2 compared to the fractionated forms.    Conclusions  Extracts from both plants possess antifilarial properties; however, the crude extract of  E. hirta  was found to be least toxic to LLCMK2.

bmc complementary and alternative medicine

Extracts of Euphorbia hirta Linn. (Euphorbiaceae) and Rauvolfia vomitoria Afzel (Apocynaceae) demonstrate activities against Onchocerca volvulus Microfilariae in vitro