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<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Verbascum thapsus </it>is used in tribal medicine as an antispasmodic, anti-tubercular agent and wormicide. In this study, we investigated the antispasmodic and anthelmintic activities of crude aqueous methanolic extract of the plant.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p><it>V. thapsus </it>extracts were tested against roundworms (<it>Ascaridia galli</it>) and tapeworms (<it>Raillietina spiralis</it>). Each species of worm was placed into a negative control group, an albendazole treatment group, or a <it>V. thapsus </it>treatment group, and the time taken for paralysis and death was determined. In addition, relaxation activity tests were performed on sections of rabbit's jejunum. Plant extracts were tested on KCl-induced contractions and the relaxation activities were quantified against atropine. <it>V. thapsus </it>calcium chloride curves were constructed to investigate the mode of action of the plant extracts.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We detected flavonoids, saponins, tannins, terpenoids, glycosides, carbohydrates, proteins, fats and fixed oils in <it>V. thapsus</it>. For both species of worm, paralysis occurred fastest at the highest concentration of extract. The relative index values for paralysis in <it>A. galli </it>were 4.58, 3.41 and 2.08, at concentrations of 10, 20 and 40 mg/ml of plant extract, respectively. The relative index for death in <it>A. galli </it>suggested that <it>V. thapsus </it>extract is wormicidal at high concentration. Similarly, the relative indexes for paralysis and death in <it>R. spiralis </it>suggested that the extract is a more potent wormicidal agent than albendazole. The mean EC₅₀relaxation activity values for spontaneous and KCl induced contractions were 7.5 ± 1.4 mg/ml (6.57-8.01, n = 6) and 7.9 ± 0.41 mg/ml (7.44-8.46, n = 6), respectively. The relaxation activity of the extract was 11.42 ± 2, 17.0 ± 3, 28.5 ± 4, and 128.0 ± 7% of the maximum observed for atropine at corresponding concentrations. The calcium chloride curves showed that <it>V. thapsus </it>extracts (3 mg/ml), had a mean EC₅₀(log molar [calcium]) value of -1.9 ± 0.06 (-1.87 - -1.98, n = 6) <it>vs</it>. control EC₅₀= -2.5 ± 0.12 (-2.37 - -2.56, n = 6), whereas the verapamil (0.1 μM) EC₅₀was -1.7 ± 0.1 (-1.6 - -1.8, n = 6) <it>vs</it>. control EC₅₀= -2.4 ± 0.09 (-2.3 - -2.47, n = 5).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results suggest that <it>V. thapsus</it>, which is currently used by some tribes in the Malakand region of Pakistan, has anthelmintic and antispasmodic value.</p>