Screening of crude drugs used in Turkey for nematocidal activity on the larva of Toxocara canis

Water and methanol extracts of 84 traditional medicines collected in Turkey were tested for their nematocidal activity on the second-stage larva of Toxocara canis. A significant nematocidal activity (RM < 30) was found in 22 water extracts at a concentration of 10 mg/ml and in 25 methanol extracts at 1 mg/ml. The methanol extracts of havlican kok (Alpinia officinarum HANCE), casir koku (Ferula meifolia BOISS.), darifulful (Piper longum L.), and tarcin (Cinnamomum verum J.S. PRESL.) were active even at a concentration as low as 0.1-0.2 mg/ml. Active principles in some of the above medicines were further investigated.