author(s)
ST Bino Sundar, TJ Harikrishnan, Bhaskaran Ravi Latha, G Sarath Chandra, TMA Senthil Kumar, S Ramesh, MR Srinivasan, S Gomathinayagam, P Azhahianambi, A Serma Saravama Pandian and T Lakshmikantham

abstract
In this study, the efficacy of the Siddha herbal anthelmintic Naaku Poochi Kolli Kudineer Chooranam (NPK) was assessed for the treatment of pinworm infections (Syphaciosis) in Wistar rats, Swiss albino mice and Balb C and mice maintained in the Laboratory Animal Medicine Unit, Directorate of Centre for Animal Health Studies, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. The study was conducted for a period of six months from February to August 2014. A total of 160 weaned male and female rats and mice (80 each) found positive for pinworm infection in perianal tape test were used for the study. Anthelmintics used were Ivermectin, Albendazole and NPK and were administered by oral gavage for 5 days to Wistar rats and in drinking water for 5 days to Wistar rats, Swiss Albino mice and Balb C mice. Post treatment tape tests revealed that oral gavage medication with both ivermectin and albendazole caused a rapid reduction in egg count immediately following treatment with no eggs on day 14 and day 28 after treatment. NPK caused a rapid increase in egg count following treatment and then a decline in egg count was observed from day 14 post administration. In case of drinking water administration of anthelmintics, ivermectin and albendazole caused rapid and complete reduction in egg count whereas NPK caused an initial increase in egg counts several folds followed by a decline in egg count and this increase in egg count was more pronounced in female animals compared to males. Overall observations revealed that NPK was equally effective to Ivermectin and Albendazole in treatment of Syphaciosis in rats and mice.