Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Paramphistomosis (stomach fluke disease) is a parasitic infection caused by digenetic trematodes and is considered to be one of the most important parasitic diseases affecting livestock worldwide. This disease is widely prevalent in India, and the highest incidence is reported during monsoon and post-monsoon months. In the present study, in vitro effect of aqueous extract of pods of Acacia concinna (AcP E) on the morphology and the histology of the digenetic trematode Cotylophoron cotylophorum have been investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The in vitro effect of AcPE on the morphology and the histology of a digenetic trematode C. cotylophorum have been examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and light microscopic techniques. RESULTS: The SEM micrograph of treated flukes showed the appearance of few blebs near the oral region and rupture of the dorsal surface of the tegument. The light and TEM observations revealed significant deleterious changes in the internal organization of the fluke. Severe injury to the tegument due to bleb formation, detachment of tubercles, and vacuolization of the subtegumental region was observed. Nuclear indentation, cytoplasmic autolysis, and mitochondrial abnormalities were the other prominent observations. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study convincingly showed that AcPE is an effective anthelmintic causing detrimental effect to C. cotylophorum and appears to be a potent phytotherapeutic agent to control paramphistomosis.