Understanding Animal-Plant-Parasite Interactions to Improve the Management of Gastrointestinal Nematodes in Grazing Ruminants

An appraisal of traditional knowledge of plant poisoning of livestock and its validation through acute toxicity assay in rats

Background: Kashmir Himalaya hosts the most diverse and rich flora in the world, which serves as grazing land for millions of small ruminants in the area. While most plant species are beneficial, some can be poisonous, causing economic losses and animal health issues for livestock. Consequently, this study is the first comprehensive report on the traditional phyto-toxicological knowledge in District Muzaffarabad and the assessment of its authenticity through experimental studies in rats. Methods: The data regarding traditional knowledge was gathered from 70 key respondents through semi-structured interviews, which was quantitatively analyzed and authenticated through plant extract testing on Wistar female rats and comparison with published resources. Results: A total of 46 poisonous plant species belonging to 23 families and 38 genera were reported to be poisonous in the study area. Results revealed that leaves were the most toxic plant parts (24 species, 52.1%), followed by the whole plant (18 species, 39.1%), stem (17 species, 36.9%), and seeds (10 species, 21.7%). At the organ level, liver as most susceptible affected by 13 species (28.2%), followed by the gastrointestinal tract (15 species, 32.6%), nervous system (13 species, 8.2%), dermis (8 species, 17.3%), renal (7 species, 15.2%), respiratory (4 species, 8.7%), cardiovascular system (3 species, 6.5%), and reproductive system (2 species, 4.3%). The poisonous plant species with high Relative frequency citation (RFC) and fidelity level (FL) were Nerium oleander (RFC, 0.6; FL, 100), Lantana camara (RFC, 0.6; FL, 100), and Ricinus communis (RFC, 0.6; FL, 100). Experimental assessment of acute toxicity assay in rats revealed that Nerium oleander was the most toxic plant with LD50 of (4,000 mg/kg), trailed by Ricinus communis (4,200 mg/kg), L. camara (4,500 mg/kg), and Datura stramonium (4,700 mg/kg); however, other plants showed moderate to mild toxicity. The major clinical observations were anorexia, piloerection, dyspnea, salivation, tachypnea, constipation, diarrhea, tremor, itchiness, and dullness. Conclusion: This study showed that numerous poisonous plants pose a significant risk to the livestock industry within Himalayan territory, leading to substantial economic losses. Consequently, it is of utmost importance to conduct further comprehensive studies on the phytotoxicity of plants.

Changes in the physiological, hematological and parasitological parameters of Dorper sheep in relation to residual feed intake and confinement environment

The selection of animals with greater feed efficiency has unknown parasitological and physiological parameters when confined in full sun or shade. Thus, we aimed to assess the effect of residual feed intake (RFI) and the confinement environment on the hematological, parasitological and physiological parameters in male Dorper sheep (n = 60; 30 with positive RFI and 30 with negative RFI) distributed in 2 confinement environments (full sun and shade), in a 2 × 2 factorial scheme, with 15 animals for treatment. Animals kept in the shade showed an increase (P < 0.05) of erythrocytes, hemoglobin and albumin. Animals kept in full sun showed higherOocysts gamma glutamyltransferase, direct bilirubin, transaminase aspartate and respiratory rate (P<0.05). There was a higher incidence of Eimeria spp oocysts in RFI negative animals (P<0.05). Positive RFI animals increased respiratory rate (P<0.05). The RFI did not influence the blood parameters of Dorper sheep, however, it had an effect on respiratory rate and presence of Eimeria spp. oocysts. Thermal environment promoted changes in blood parameters and the physiological parameters of Dorper sheep.

Emerging alternatives to traditional anthelmintics: the in vitro antiparasitic activity of silver and selenium nanoparticles, and pomegranate (Punica granatum) peel extract against Haemonchus contortus

Haemonchus contortus (H. contortus) is one of the most prevalent gastrointestinal nematodes, causing health problems and economic losses in ruminants. Nanotechnology holds great promise as a field of science, with potential applications in veterinary medicine. This study investigated the in vitro anthelmintic activity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs), and pomegranate peel extract (Punica granatum; PPE) on different stages of H. contortus: eggs, larvae, and adults. The in vitro anthelmintic efficacy was evaluated using the egg hatching inhibition assay (EHA), the third larval stage paralysis assay (LPA), and the adult worm motility inhibition assay (WMI). Six dilutions of PPE were utilized for EHA, LPA, and WMI, ranging from 0.25 to 6 mg/ml. AgNPs dilutions ranged from 0.00001 to 1.0 μg/ml for EHA and LPA and 1 to 25 μg/ml for WMI. SeNPs were utilized at dilutions of 1, 5, 10, and 15 μg/ml for EHA, LPA, and WMI. The results showed that the lowest concentration of AgNPs, SeNPs, and PPE significantly inhibited egg hatching. To further assess larvicidal activity, AgNPs at the highest concentration of 1 μg/ml induced a strong larvicidal effect, as did SeNPs at the lowest concentration. On the contrary, PPE displayed a significant larvicidal effect at 1 mg/ml compared to the control. The percentage mortality of adult H. contortus was measured as follows (mortality (%) = the number of dead adult H. contortus/total number of adult H. contortus per test × 100). The death of the adult H. contortus was determined by the absence of motility. Adult H. contortus mortality percentage was also significantly affected by all three agents when compared to the control. The AgNPs, SeNPs, and PPE have effective antiparasitic activity on gastrointestinal parasitic nematodes. These results provide evidence of the excellent antiparasitic properties of AgNPs, SeNPs, and PPE, demonstrating their effectiveness in controlling eggs, larvae, and adult H. contortus in vitro.

Recent Advances in the Control of Endoparasites in Ruminants from a Sustainable Perspective

Consumer awareness of animal welfare and environmental health has led to a plateau level of global consumption putting serious pressure on the livestock industry [...].

Advances in the Control of the Helminthosis in Domestic Animals

The damage caused by parasitic worms is related to delays in production, the cost of prophylactic and curative treatments and, in extreme cases, the death of animals [...].

Invitro and in vivo anthelmintic efficacy of peppermint (Mentha x piperita L.) essential oil against gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep

Nowadays, the exclusive use of commercial anthelmintics for the treatment of gastrointestinal nematode infections in ruminants is less sustainable due to anthelmintic resistance, as well as the problem of drug residues in animal products and the environment. Therefore, an integrated therapeutic approach is needed, including the search for alternatives to synthetic anthelmintic drugs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the possibility of using the essential oil of peppermint (Mentha x piperita L.) in the control of gastrointestinal nematodes in sheep. For this purpose, the in vitro and in vivo anthelmintic efficacy of this oil and the toxic effects on the hosts were examined. In the in vitro egg hatch test, ovicidal activity varied from 21.0-90.3% depending on the concentration of essential oil used (0.0125, 0.025, 0.049, 0.195, 0.781, 3.125, 12.5, and 50 mg/mL). To some extent, anthelmintic efficacy was confirmed in the in vivo fecal egg count reduction test at a mean dose of 150 mg/kg, with an average reduction of nematode eggs of 26.9 and 46.0% at Days 7 and 14 after treatment, respectively. Furthermore, no toxic effects of applied oil were observed on sheep behavior, kidney, or liver function. The main compounds identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyzes were menthol (32.6%), menthone (22.0%), menthyl-acetate (10.0%), and isomenthone (9.39%). Due to their complex chemical compositions, numerous bioactive ingredients, and natural origin, herbal formulations represent a potentially valuable alternative for the control of gastrointestinal nematodes in sheep. In this context, the results of the present study showed that peppermint essential oil is one of the promising candidates. Further studies should be performed to collect more data on the safety profile of M. piperita EO in treated animals to find the most appropriate formulation for use in field conditions and to test it against resistant gastrointestinal nematode populations.