Assessment of anthelmintic activity of Artemisia judaica methanol extracts against Eisenia fetida: in vitro investigation

ABSTRACT Artemisia species are known for their abundance in sesquiterpene lactones and antioxidant compounds like flavonoids and phenolic acids, offering potential health benefits for both humans and animals. This study aimed to evaluate the phytochemical profiling, cytotoxic, and anthelmintic activity of Artemisia judaica leaves methanolic extracts (AJLE). AJLE were produced and tested in vitro for anthelmintic action against Eisenia fetida. The study utilized different concentrations of AJLE extract, 25, 50, and 100 mg/mL, Albendazole (10mg/mL) was used as a positive control, and distilled water served as a negative control. Cytotoxicity analysis for the extract at different doses (µg/mL) against colon (HCT116) and liver (Huh-7) cell lines after 48 hours of incubation was conducted using an MTT assay. The methanolic extract was analyzed for its phytochemical composition using GC-MS equipment. The GC-MS spectrum has identified 19 different biomolecules. Regarding anthelminthic activity, the most effective dose of AJLE (100 mg/mL) resulted in paralysis and death within 7.502±0.812 and 8.190±0.554 minutes, respectively. In comparison, Mebendazole showed lower efficiency, resulting in death and paralysis at 18.2±0.980 and 13.91±0.373 minutes, respectively. Histological analysis of treated worms revealed significant surface structure anomalies. Furthermore, AJLE exhibited moderate cytotoxic effects against HCT116 and Huh-7 cell lines, with IC50 values of 287.55±2.89μg/ml and 324.2±2.9μg/ml, respectively. This study discovered that AJLE is a rich source of bioactive ingredients and can be used to treat helminthiasis infection.