The antiparasitic and antioxidant bioactive chemical components of Nerium oleander leaf extracts cultivated in Saudi Arabia

ABSTRACT Natural products play a significant role in medicine, where they serve as alternative treatments for parasitic diseases. The investigation aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the bioactive compounds in Nerium oleander leaf extracts, and its effect on killing Aspiculuris tetraptera worms that infect laboratory mice. Total phenols, tannins, and flavonoids were determined. Antioxidant activity was estimated (DPPH and ABTS). The experiment was divided into 5 transactions, containing three concentrations (50, 100, and 200mg/mL) of Nerium oleander leaf extract. In addition, Groups 3 and 4 have positive and negative control. The death time for the worms was recorded at 15, 30, 60, and 120 minutes after treatment. The study showed that the extract is rich in flavonoids, tannin, and phenolics in different proportions. The results showed a significant degree of antioxidant activity, and as the plant extract content increased, so did the DPPH radical and hydrogen peroxide scavenging. The extract showed effectiveness with increasing dose and time during 15, 30, 60, and 120 minutes, which reached 89% and 96% after 120 minutes at the highest concentrations (100 and 200mg/mL). The findings imply that oleander leaves contain active phytochemicals that might be used to create new medication candidates.