Abstract
Caesalpinia pulcherrima (Caesalpiniaceae) is a plant found in West Indies; common throughout Sonaran deserts, naturalized in Texas. Phytochemical study of the plant reveals that the plant contains various phytoconstituents like flavonoids, sterols, triterpines etc. The pericarp of the plant may give anthelmintic activity as these phytoconstituents are reported to have anthelmintic activity. Hence pericarp of the plant was collected, authenticated, powdered and extracted with various solvents by cold maceration to obtain petroleum ether, methanol and aqueous extracts and evaluated for its anthelmintic activity on adult Indian earthworms, which have anatomical and physiological resemblance with the intestinal roundworms parasites of human beings. In concentration of 5 mg/ml, 15 mg/ml, 25 mg/ml methanolic and aqueous extract showed potent anthelmintic activity as compared to that of the standard drug albendazole at the same concentration.
