ANTIAMOEBIC AND CYTOTOXIC ACTIVITY OF BAUHINIA RUFESCENS (LAM) LEAF EXTRACTS
The World Health Organization estimates that the protozoan is a major cause of morbidity worldwide, causing approximately 50 million cases of dysentery and 100,000 deaths annually. Intestinal amoebiasis due to the infection of E. histolytica is ranked third on the list of parasitic protozoan infections leading to death behind malaria and schistosomiasis. Metronidazole is used as a drug of choice against giardiasis. However, like a lot of other chemical agents, this drug has its own side effects. The present study was carried out to evaluate antiamoebic activites (Entamoeba histolyica) and cytotoxicity (MTT assay) of Bauhinia rufescens. Variety supreme court leaf petroleum ether and methanolic extracts. The highest activity against Entamoeba histolytica, with respect to time, was obtained from petroleum ether extract which exhibited 78.33% mortality within 72 h in 1000 ppm concentration, followed by the same extract which exhibited 75.12% mortality within 72 h with concentration of 500 ppm. On the other hand the lowest antiamoebic activity was recorded by methanol ether extract 60.20% mortality with 125 ppm concentration in 72 hours. The cytotoxicity of petroleum ether and methanol extracts had varying degrees of toxicity to Vero cell lines with IC 50 391.39μg/ml for the petroleum ether extract and 488.32μg/ml for the methanol extract. These studies conducted for Bauhinia rufescens leafs was proved to have potent activities against Entamoeba histolyica trophozoites in vitro. And MTT assay verified the safety