LC-MS analysis of various extracts from different parts of Cassia fistula (Linn.) for identification of Phyto-constituents responsible for anthelmintic activity

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Medicinal plants have always assisted through the ages in conflict resolution of global health problems of humans and livestock caused by intestinal gastrointestinal parasites. Ethno-medicinal studies associated with ' traditional uses have revealed the application of different parts of C. fistula for curing helminth infections. Aim of the study: Current research was carried out to screen the anthelmintic properties of C. fistula against gastrointestinal parasites of sheep and goats and to carry out a detailed phytochemical profile of different extracts of C. fistula . Materials and methods The anthelmintic effectiveness of various parts of C. fistula (fruits, stem, root, and leaves) was studied using two-fold dilutions of all extracts considering 50 mg/ml as the mother solution. Each Petri dish containing triplicate doses of each plant extract and active mature worms (n = 10) was observed for 12 hours to study the worm's motility. In the egg hatch assay, fully developed female worms were crushed to release eggs, filtered, diluted until 200 eggs/ml in each of 24 multi-well plates, and incubated in a refrigerator for 48 hours. The highly effective fruit ethanol extract and crude fruit powder of C. fistula were further processed for i n vivo anthelmintic screening in goats (n = 21) and parasitic eggs reduction in fecal samples was observed by MacMaster technique for 9 days at the dose rate of @250, 500 & 1000 mg/Kg body weight. The quantitative analysis of bioactive components of all extracts of C. fistula was carried out using the LC-MS method. It was carried out in ESI ionization mode using both positive and negative polarities. Results The ethanol fruit and ethyl acetate leave extracts of C. fistula revealed a highly potent effect, caused the complete fatality of adult worms (10.00 ± 0.00) within post contact of 4 and 6 hours at the highest dose of @50 mg/ml correspondingly exhibited comparable activity with standard drugs Levamisole. The highest eggs egg inhibition potential was revealed by fruit ethanol extract (90.33%) and the weakest with root methanol extract (60.67%). In the study of in vivo trials, the highly potent ethanol fruit extract administered to goats effectively reduced parasite load with the highest efficacy percentages of 79.27% and 90.78% at the dose of 500 and 1000 mg/Kg b.wt. of fruit ethanol extract of C. fistula . The phytochemical constituents detected using LC-MS analysis belong to class; flavonoids, phenols, terpenoids, alkaloids, sterols, glycosides, fatty acids, amino acids, esters, and alkanes, and the maximum number of compounds reported belong to class flavonoids, phenols, and alkaloids exhibiting their maximum role in anthelmintic activities. Conclusions The overall findings intensely indicate the anthelmintic potential of all parts of C. fistula , specifically of its fruit part. Further, the toxicity study of different extracts of various parts of this plant is desired to assess the optimal non-lethal dose for curing parasitic diseases in livestock as well as in humans.