Evaluation of Bacillus cereus and Bacillus pumilus metabolites for anthelmintic activity

OBJECTIVE: To assess the anthelmintic acivity of Bacillus cereus and Bacillus pumilus metabolites. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The successive solvent extractions with petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and methanol. The solvent extracts were tested for anthelmintic activity against Pheretima posthuma at 20 mg/ml concentration. The time of paralysis and time of death of the worms was determined for all the extracts. Albendazole was taken as a standard reference and sterile water as a control. RESULTS: All the sample extracts showed significant anthelmintic activity in paralyzing the worms comparable with that of the standard drug. The time of death exhibited by BP metabolites was close to the time exhibited by standard. CONCLUSION: The study indicates both bacteria Bacillus cereus and Bacillus pumilus have anthelmintic activity indicating potential metabolites in them.