Anthelmintic efficacy of selected medicinal plants against gastrointestinal nematodes in naturally infected sheep in Kenya
Journal Title: The Journal of Phytopharmacology - Year 2018, Vol 7, Issue 2
Abstract
The use of plants, or their extracts, for the treatment of human and animal ailments, including helminthosis is steeped in antiquity. Anthelmintic resistance in pathogenic helminths has been spreading in prevalence and severity to a point where there is multi-drug resistance against the three major classes of anthelmintics. This globe-wide phenomenon calls for urgent search for different approaches to the control of helminthosis including novel anthelmintic products. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of plants, which are commonly used in the treatment and control of helminthosis, under the natural grazing conditions in Loitoktok Sub-County of Kenya. The plant species (Albizia anthelmintica, Myrsine africana, and Embelia schimperi were selected based on their availability and ethnopharmacological uses, as anthelmintics, by the traditional health practitioners in the area. Fifty sheep of mixed breeds, belonging to local herders, and naturally infected with mixed gastrointestinal nematodes were recruited for the study. The herbal remedies were prepared and administered by methods prescribed by the traditional practitioners. Their efficacy was determined using faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT). The percentage faecal egg count reduction against the mixed gastrointestinal nematodes was 59, -11, -31 and 87 for Myrsine africana, A. anthelmintica, E. schimperi and albendazole respectively. It was concluded that some of the remedies have some efficacy and further studies are needed to evaluate their potential as anthelmintics. There was also suspicion of development of anthemintic resistance to albendazole and herders needed to be advised accordingly on the proper use of conventional anthelmintic products.
Authors and Affiliations
J. K Muthee
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP49789
- DOI -
- Views 178
- Downloads 0
Physicochemical, Phytochemical and Pharmacognostic study of Limonium stocksii, a halophyte from Gujarat
The halophyte Limonium stocksii (Boiss) Kuntze belongs to the family Plumbaginaceae. In the present work, pharmacognostic studies of this medicinal halophyte was attempted which included physicochemical, phytochemical,...
Pharmacological potential of naturally occurring nonstarch polysaccharides (NSP)
Since ancient times, plants have been serving as a promising source of medicines and in recent times, extensive research has been made to isolate, characterize and screen a number of phytoconstituents/secondary plant m...
Analgesic activity of aqueous extract of Vernonia hymenolepis (A. Rich) a traditional medicine plant used in Kenya for toothache
The main aim of the study was to ascertain the analgesic properties of Vernonia hymenolepis leaves to validate its use for the treatment of toothache. The plant is widely used as a traditional herb by communities in Tr...
Evaluation of Salvia haematodes Linn for their antioxidant, anti-microbial, anti-lipoxygenase and anticholinesterase activity
The indigenous medicinal plant Salvia haematodes Linn (SAL) was screened for its pharmacological activities. The crude extract fractions were prepared in methanol, n-hexane, di chloromethane (DCM) and n-butanol by cold...
RP-HPLC based evidences of rich sources of Phenolics and water-soluble vitamins in an annual sedge Cyperus compressus
The present study makes an effort to evaluate the content of water-soluble vitamins like ascorbic acid (C), thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6) and folic acid (B9) by HPL...