Antiviral Activity and Embryonic Toxicity of Momordica charantia L.Extracts and Ribavirin Against Newcastle Disease Virus in-ovo

antiviral activity and embryonic toxicity of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Momordica charantia L. and ribavirin was evaluated against Newcastle Disease Virus in-ovo. For each extract of plant and ribavirin 40 embryonated eggs were assigned to 8 groups containing 5 eggs in each group (six groups for antiviral, six groups for embryonic toxicity, and two groups were kept as controls respectively). The aqueous and ethanolic extracts were prepared by using soxhlet extraction technique. From the extract, six different dilutions i.e. 160, 80, 40, 20, 10 and 5mg/ml of the aqueous and ethanolic extracts were prepared whereas; six different dilutions i.e. 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40μg/ml of ribavirin were prepared. With Newcastle Disease Virus different concentrations of the extracts of plant were mixed and 0.2 ml of this suspension was injected to 9th to 10th day embryonated eggs along with Ribavirin, positive and negative controls having only virus and normal saline correspondingly. These inoculated embryonated chicken eggs were incubated at 370C and were checked after 12–72 hours. All the eggs were chilled at 40C and the allantoic fluid was collected.The embryo survival percentage, positive or negative spot haemagglutination activity and determination of virus titre by haemagglutination test confirmed the antiviral activity. The embryonic toxicity effects of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Momordica charnatia and ribavirin was assessed by merely inoculating the extracts of respective concentrations as used for antiviral activity in embryonated chicken eggs. The aqueous extract of M. chrantia L., all concentrations except 160mg/ml were not toxic for embryos, but antiviral activity was observed at 40, 80 160mg/ml concentrations. Ethanolic extract gave antiviral effect at 20, 40 80mg/ml concentration and devoid of toxic effect.