Analysis of Phytochemical Constituents and Anthelmintic Activity of Leaf Extracts of Mimosa pudica L.

Mimosa pudica L. is commonly called as touch me not plant, a prostrate or semi-erect sub shrub of tropical America and Australia, also found in India. The phytochemical screening of the crude extract showed the presence of carbohydrates, alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, coumarin glycosides, saponins, flavonoids, phytosterols, phenols and tannins, proteins and terpenoids. The methanol extract showed the highest percentage extractive of 11.6. The anthelmintic activity was tested on Indian adult earthworm Pheretima posthuma. The leaf was extracted separately with methanol and distilled water using cold extraction method. Different concentrations (20, 40, 60 and 80 mg/ml) of each extract were tested for anthelmintic activity by determining the time of paralysis and time of death of the worms. The aqueous and methanol extracts showed anthelmintic activity at all concentrations and its activities are well comparable with the standard drug, albendazole (positive control). The methanol extracts showed the highest anthelmintic activity than albendazole as well as the aqueous extract. Tween 20 (1%) with saline was used as negative control did not show any anthelmintic activity.