Plant molluscicides: potential of Aridan, Tetrapleura tetraptera, for schistosomiasis control in Nigeria

• Published in: The Science of the total environment Vol. 102; p. 21
• Main Author: Adewunmi, C.O. (Obafemi Awolowo Univ., Ile-Ife (Nigeria). Faculty of Pharmacy, Drug Research and Production Unit)
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands 01.02.1991
• Subjects: Animals; Biomphalaria; CONTROL DE ENFERMEDADES; CONTROLE DE MALADIES; DISEASE CONTROL; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; DRUG PLANTS; ESQUISTOSOMOSIS; Fruit; GENERO HUMANO; GENRE HUMAIN; HEALTH; Humans; MANKIND; Molluscacides - isolation & purification; Molluscacides - therapeutic use; NIGERIA; PLANTAS MEDICINALES; PLANTE MEDICINALE; Plants, Medicinal; SALUD; SANTE; Schistosoma - drug effects; Schistosoma - physiology; SCHISTOSOMIASIS; Schistosomiasis - prevention & control; SCHISTOSOMOSE; TROPICAL ZONES; ZONA TROPICAL; ZONE TROPICALE; Nigeria
• ISSN: 0048-9697; 1879-1026
• DOI: 10.1016/0048-9697(91)90306-Y

Molluscicides are crucial for the control of schistosomiasis. The need to use plant molluscicides has received increased interest as an inexpensive technology because of the high cost of synthetic compounds for snail control in the endemic areas of poor nations of the world. Laboratory screening of Nigerian medicinal plants has shown that some of these contain chemicals which are among the most potent natural molluscicides available today. Field trials have been carried out on Tetrapleura tetraptera, locally known as Aridan, which is widely distributed in West Africa and can be collected and processed locally for the control of schistosomiasis. Research efforts in identifying botanical molluscicides, such as Aridan, should be encouraged by strong support, both from the Government and the private sector, in a current period of economic depression.