Evaluation of aridanin, a glycoside, and Aridan, an aqueous extract of Tetrapleura tetraptera fruit, on Schistosoma mansoni and S. bovis.

Experiments were conducted on different stages of Schistosoma mansoni and S. bovis using various concentrations of aridanin and Aridan. Aridanin and Aridan were active against Schistosoma mansoni and S. bovis miracidia. A low concentration of aridanin (0.25 micrograms/ml) reduced the production of cercariae by snails already shedding cercariae. Aridanin and Aridan also produced profound reduction in the worm recovery of mice infected with pretreated cercariae of S. mansoni and S. bovis. Higher concentrations of the molluscicides were biocidal to the cercariae of these schistosomes. These results indicate that the molluscicides are capable of reducing the transmission of schistosomiasis at different stages of the schistosome development and suggest that a similar effect may occur under field conditions.