Comparison for the Effectiveness of Column Purified Fractions of Allium cepa Bulbs and Allium sativum Cloves against Bulinus globosus (Intermediate Host of Urinary Schistosomiasis) in Sokoto, Nigeria

Synthetic molluscicides widely used for the control of urinary schistosomiasis are expensive, toxic to non-target organisms, not available and may have deleterious long-term effects in the environment. The aim of this research is to compare the efficacy of column purified fractions of Allium cepa and Allium sativum against Bulinus globosus specimens (intermediate host of urinary schistosomiasis) under laboratory conditions as an increment for the cheaper, non-toxic, available way of controlling urinary schistosomiasis. Extracts were obtained using cold maceration method with methanol as a polar solvent; column purification was achieved using silica gel (stationary phase) while ethyl acetate and n-hexane (mobile phase); thirteen fractions were collected from each plant and each fraction contained 10ml of the eluent; the fractions were left open for 48 hours for evaporation of the solvents. Experiments were performed according to the methodology described by the World Health Organization for molluscicidal activity tests; each treatment was replicated three times; mortality was recorded after each 24 hours up to 96 hours. The results showed that; A. sativum was more effective against B. globosus as compared with A. cepa with statistical significant difference (P<0.05) and LC50 were 15.60mg/l and 19.37mg/l for the efficacy of A. cepa and A. sativum respectively. It was concluded that, although, A. cepa purified fractions are more effective than A. sativum against B. globosus, both of the plants species may be helpful in snail control at acceptable doses since the plant extracts caused mortality of the snail.