PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND IN VITRO ANTHELMINTIC ACTIVITY OF SOLANUM LYSCOPERSICUM FRUIT EXTRACT

Traditional Indian medicine is gaining popularity worldwide. Medicinal plants can enhance patients' symptoms by reducing the side effects of synthetic drugs, thereby enhancing their quality of life. Solanum lycopersicum (Tomato) is a perennial flowering plant in the Family Solanaceae. Tomato is one of the most important and popular fruit vegetable in the world. The aim of present research work is to assess the phytochemical investigation and in vitro anthelmintic activity of ethanolic extract of Solanum lycopersicum fruit. In vitro anthelmintic activity of Solanum lycopersicum (S. lycopersicum) were screened using different concentrations separately. Pheretima posthuma (Indian earth worm) of nearly equal size were selected for present study. Albendazole is used as standard drug. The S. lycopersicum extract was concentrated on in various fixations (100, 200 and 400 mg/ml) anthelmintic movement on Pheretima posthuma worms. The ethanoic fruit extract of Solanum lycopersicum showed significant anthelmintic activity against earth worms. Further work will emphasize the isolation and characterization of active principles responsible for anthelmintic activity of Solanum lycopersicum.

Key words: Solanum lycopersicum, traditional medicine, phytoconstituents, anthelmintic activity, Pheretima posthuma.