In vitro anthelmintic effects of Bridelia ferruginea, Combretum glutinosum, and Mitragyna inermis leaf extracts on Haemonchus contortus, an abomasal nematode of small ruminants

Abstract

Gastrointestinal nematodes remain a major constraint on the health, welfare, and production of small ruminants. This study was conductedtoevaluatethreeplantextracts(fromBrideliaferruginea,Combretumglutinosum,andMitragynainermis)aseffective remedies against gastrointestinal parasites of small ruminants. Phytochemical screening was conducted on the plant leaves, and the potential anthelmintic properties of these plants were tested in vitro on Haemonchus contortus using the egg hatch, larval migration,andadultwormmotility assays.Thephytochemical screeningofthe leavesrevealedthe presenceofseveral bioactive componentsinalltheplants.Thenumberofeggsthathatchedwasreducedinaconcentration-dependentmanner(p<0.01)upon treatment with the methanol extract of B. ferruginea and the acetone extracts of C. glutinosum and M. inermis. The inhibitory effect of the acetone extract of B. ferruginea and the methanol extracts of C. glutinosum and M. inermis was not concentrationdependent (p>0.05). There was a significant difference (p<0.05) in the reduction in larval migration between the lowest concentrations (75 to 150 μg/mL) and the highest concentrations (300 to 1200 μg/mL) of plant extracts. The ability of plant extracts to affect the mobility of the adult worms was not concentration-dependent (p>0.05); however, it was dependent on the timeofincubation(p<0.01).Atthehighestconcentration(2400μg/mL),alladultwormsweremotionlessafter24hofexposure, while at the lowest concentration (<150 μg/mL), this occurred after 48 h of exposure. M. inermis and C. glutinosum extracts were more effective than B. ferruginea extracts (p<0.05). Overall, these results suggest that these plants used by small-scale farmerspossessantiparasiticpropertiesusefulforhelminthiasiscontrol.However,theeffectsoftheplantsremaintobeconfirmed via in vivo assays and toxicity tests in further studies.