The use of redberry juniper (Juniperus pinchotii) to reduce Haemonchus contortus fecal egg counts and increase ivermectin efficacy

Tannins Can Have Direct Interactions with Anthelmintics: Investigations by Isothermal Titration Calorimetry

Plant tannins are known for their anthelmintic and antiparasitic activities and have been increasingly studied to battle the ever-growing problem of anthelmintic resistance. While tannins have been shown to exhibit these activities on their own, one approach would be to use them as complementary nutrients alongside commercial anthelmintics. So far, research on the interactions between tannins and anthelmintics is limited, and few studies have reported both synergistic and antagonistic effects depending on the type of tannin and the method used. These interactions could either strengthen or weaken the efficacy of commercial anthelmintics, especially if tannin-rich diets are combined with anthelmintics used as oral drenches. To study these interactions, a series of hydrolysable tannins (HTs) was selected, and their direct interactions with thiabendazole (TBZ) were evaluated by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), which allowed the detection of the exothermic interaction but also the roles and significances of different structural features of HTs in these interactions. Our results show that HTs can have a direct interaction with the benzimidazole anthelmintic TBZ and that the interaction is strengthened by increasing the number of free galloyl groups and the overall molecular flexibility of HTs.

Importance of ABC Transporters in the Survival of Parasitic Nematodes and the Prospect for the Development of Novel Control Strategies

ABC transporters, a family of ATP-dependent transmembrane proteins, are responsible for the active transport of a wide range of molecules across cell membranes, including drugs, toxins, and nutrients. Nematodes possess a great diversity of ABC transporters; however, only P-glycoproteins have been well-characterized compared to other classes. The ABC transport proteins have been implicated in developing resistance to various classes of anthelmintic drugs in parasitic nematodes; their role in plant and human parasitic nematodes still needs further investigation. Therefore, ABC transport proteins offer a potential opportunity to develop nematode control strategies. Multidrug resistance inhibitors are becoming more attractive for controlling nematodes due to their potential to increase drug efficacy in two ways: (i) by limiting drug efflux from nematodes, thereby increasing the amount of drug that reaches its target site, and (ii) by reducing drug excretion by host animals, thereby enhancing drug bioavailability. This article reviews the role of ABC transporters in the survival of parasitic nematodes, including the genes involved, their regulation and physiological roles, as well as recent developments in their characterization. It also discusses the association of ABC transporters with anthelmintic resistance and the possibility of targeting them with next-generation inhibitors or nutraceuticals (e.g., polyphenols) to control parasitic infections.

Effect of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) on cyathostomin eggs excretion, larval development, larval community structure, and efficacy of ivermectin treatment in horses

Alternative strategies to chemical anthelmintics are needed for the sustainable control of equine strongylids. Bioactive forages like sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) could contribute to reducing drug use, with the first hints of in vitro activity against cyathostomin free-living stages observed in the past. We analysed the effect of a sainfoin-rich diet on cyathostomin population and the efficacy of oral ivermectin treatment. Two groups of 10 naturally infected horses were enrolled in a 78-day experimental trial. Following a 1-week adaptation period, they were either fed with dehydrated sainfoin pellets (70% of their diet dry matter) or with alfalfa pellets (control group) for 21-days. No difference was found between the average fecal egg counts (FECs) of the two groups, but a significantly lower increase in larval development rate was observed for the sainfoin group, at the end of the trial. Quantification of cyathostomin species abundances with an ITS-2-based metabarcoding approach revealed that the sainfoin diet did not affect the nemabiome structure compared to the control diet. Following oral ivermectin treatment of all horses on day 21, the drug concentration was lower in horses fed with sainfoin, and cyathostomin eggs reappeared earlier in that group. Our results demonstrated that short-term consumption of a sainfoin-rich diet does not decrease cyathostomin FEC but seems to slightly reduce larval development. Consumption of dehydrated sainfoin pellets also negatively affected ivermectin pharmacokinetics, underscoring the need to monitor horse feeding regimes when assessing ivermectin efficacy in the field.

Plant-Derived Natural Compounds for Tick Pest Control in Livestock and Wildlife: Pragmatism or Utopia?

Ticks and tick-borne diseases are a significant economic hindrance for livestock production and a menace to public health. The expansion of tick populations into new areas, the occurrence of acaricide resistance to synthetic chemical treatments, the potentially toxic contamination of food supplies, and the difficulty of applying chemical control in wild-animal populations have created greater interest in developing new tick control alternatives. Plant compounds represent a promising avenue for the discovery of such alternatives. Several plant extracts and secondary metabolites have repellent and acaricidal effects. However, very little is known about their mode of action, and their commercialization is faced with multiple hurdles, from the determination of an adequate formulation to field validation and public availability. Further, the applicability of these compounds to control ticks in wild-animal populations is restrained by inadequate delivery systems that cannot guarantee accurate dosage delivery at the right time to the target animal populations. More work, financial support, and collaboration with regulatory authorities, research groups, and private companies are needed to overcome these obstacles. Here, we review the advancements on known plant-derived natural compounds with acaricidal potential and discuss the road ahead toward the implementation of organic control in managing ticks and tick-borne diseases.

Larvicidal activity of Bacillus circulans against the gastrointestinal nematode Haemonchus contortus in sheep

Efficient control of gastrointestinal parasites is necessary in sheep breeding. However, the available chemically based anthelmintics are becoming less effective due to the development of parasite resistance. An alternative to this problem is biological control. In the present study, we tested the larvicidal effect of Bacillus circulans by administering a spore suspension (2 × 109 colony forming units/ml) orally to lambs naturally infected with Haemonchus contortus. The number of faecal larvae was quantified daily and a significant reduction (~87%, P< 0.05) of larval development was observed after administration of B. circulans. Using a transformed B. circulans with green fluorescent protein, we were able to detect B. circulans in the faeces at 4 h post-administration and 72 h after cessation of its administration. These results suggest the use of B. circulans as a promising biological alternative for parasite control.

Interactions Between Nutrition and Infections With Haemonchus contortus and Related Gastrointestinal Nematodes in Small Ruminants

Interactions between host nutrition and feeding behaviour are central to understanding the pathophysiological consequences of infections of the digestive tract with parasitic nematodes. The manipulation of host nutrition provides useful options to control gastrointestinal nematodes as a component of an integrated strategy. Focussed mainly on the Haemonchus contortus infection model in small ruminants, this chapter (1) illustrates the relationship between quantitative (macro- and micro-nutrients) and qualitative (plant secondary metabolites) aspects of host nutrition and nematode infection, and (2) shows how basic studies aimed at addressing some generic questions can help to provide solutions, despite the considerable diversity of epidemiological situations and breeding systems.

Effects of using ground redberry juniper and dried distillers grains with solubles in lamb feedlot diets: growth, blood serum, fecal, and wool characteristics

Effects of using ground redberry juniper and dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) in Rambouillet lamb (n = 45) feedlot diets on growth, blood serum, fecal, and wool characteristics were evaluated. In a randomized design study with 2 feeding periods (Period 1 = 64% concentrate diet, 35 d; Period 2 = 85% concentrate diet, 56 d), lambs were individually fed 5 isonitrogenous diets: a control diet (CNTL) that contained oat hay but not DDGS or juniper or DDGS-based diets in which 0 (0JUN), 33 (33JUN), 66 (66JUN), or 100% (100JUN) of the oat hay was replaced by juniper. During Period 1, lambs fed CNTL had greater (P < 0.05) DMI and ADG and tended to have greater (P < 0.10) G:F than lambs fed 0JUN or lambs fed DDGS-based diets. Lamb DMI, ADG, and G:F quadratically increased (P < 0.008) as juniper increased in the DDGS-based diets. During Period 2, lambs fed CNTL had greater (P < 0.05) DMI than lambs fed 0JUN or lambs fed DDGS-based diets, but ADG was similar (P > 0.41). Compared to 0JUN, lambs fed CNTL had similar (P = 0.12) G:F and tended to have less G:F (P = 0.07) than lambs fed DDGS-based diets. Among lambs fed DDGS-based diets, DMI was similar (P > 0.19), ADG increased linearly (P = 0.03), and G:F tended to decrease quadratically (P = 0.06) as juniper increased in the diet. Serum IGF-1, serum urea N (SUN), and fecal N were greater (P < 0.05) and serum Ca and P and fecal P were similar (P > 0.13) for lambs fed CNTL vs. lambs fed DDGS-based diets (CNTL). Within lambs fed DDGS-based diets, SUN increased quadratically (P = 0.01) and fecal N increased linearly (P = 0.004), which can partially be attributed to increased dietary urea and condensed tannin intake. Most wool characteristics were not affected, but wool growth per kilogram of BW decreased quadratically (P = 0.04) as percentage of juniper increased in the DDGS-based diets. When evaluating the entire 91-d feeding trial, results indicated that replacing all of the ground oat hay with ground juniper leaves and stems in lamb growing and finishing diets is not detrimental to animal performance and that DDGS-based diets can reduce total feedlot costs, as compared to sorghum grain and cottonseed meal-based diets. However, compared to using juniper or oat hay as the sole roughage source, using both during the growing period (Period 1) enhanced growth performance and further reduced total feedlot costs.