Prevalence of Gastro-intestinal Parasites of Goats and Comparative Therapeutic Efficacy of Phytoanthelmintics

Abstract

The present study was carried out to determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in goats and evaluate the anthelmintic efficacy of aqueous extract of seven medicinal plants namely seeds of C. sativum, bulbs of A. sativum, seeds of C. papaya, rhizomes of Z. officinale, leaves of A. indica, whole plants of S. chirata and leaves of P. persica. A total of 1117 faecal samples of goats were collected and examined from 4 districts of Western U.P. The overall prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites infections in goats were recorded 70.55%. Aqueous extracts were prepared from selected medicinal plants to conduct both in vitro and in vivo test. In vitro egg hatch assay, larval paralysis and adult motility assay were conducted to determine anthelmintic effects of aqueous extracts of the 7 selected medicinal plants on the eggs and larvae of strongyle as well as on the adult parasite of H. contortus. Based on the results of in vitro tests and cytotoxicity evaluations, the aqueous extracts of S. chirata and C. sativum demonstrated high efficacy and comparatively low toxicity as phyto-anthelmintic in present study. Forty eight female goats naturally infected with strongyle having more than 1000 EPG were selected for the in vivo study. Efficacy was assessed on the basis of faecal egg count reduction (FECR) test. Treatment with closantel @ 10 mg/kg BW resulted in highest percent faecal egg count reduction was 100±0.00 on day 14 post-treatment. Among plants extracts treated group the whole plant of aqueous extract of S. chirata @ 500 mg/kg BW, exhibited maximum percent faecal egg count reduction was 60.65±0.44 on day 28 post-treatment. After the treatment with aqueous extracts of S. chirata and C. sativum there were improve in the altered haemato-biochemical parameters in naturally strongyle infected goats returned these parameters closer to normal level. Goats treated with selected plant extracts did not exhibit any adverse effects. Thus herbal plant extract may be used as an alternative therapy to control the gastrointestinal parasites in goats.