**3.1** *Azadirachta indica* **A. Juss (Meliaceae)**

[Refer to Section 2.3 for plant description].

The methanol leaf extract of *A. indica* was investigated for cercaricidal activity against freshly shed cercariae of *Schistosoma mansoni*. At a concentration range of 31.2–1000 μg/mL, the leaf extract caused a steady increase in the number of dead cercariae during an observation period of 15 to 180 mins. At 60 mins, 250 μg/mL of extract was found to cause 100% mortality of cercariae. At the end of the observation period (180 mins) the leaf extract recorded an IC50 of 27.62 μg/mL which was about four times lower than the effect of the positive control *Balanites aegyptiaca* (IC50 of 5.95 μg/mL) [73].

The effect of *A. indica* leaf extract on the viability of adult schistosome worms (i.e. adulticidal effect) was further investigated. At the end of 120 h, the extract at 62.5–1000 μg/mL was found to be lethal to the incopula adult worms. Further in an *in vivo* study, the ability of the leaf extract (500 mg/kg *p.o.*) to reduce the worm recovery and worm burden in *S. mansoni* infected mice was investigated.


*The Ghanaian Flora as a Potential Source of Anthelmintic and Anti-Schistosomal Agents DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.97417*

