Antiparasitic effects of the water extract from Chenopodium ambrosioides L. (Chenopodiaceae) against some gastrointestinal nematodes in West African Long Legged goats

Abstract

An in vivo test was undertaken in order to evaluate the efficacy of an aqueous extract of leaves of Chenopodium ambrosioïdes against nematode parasites in goats. The study used fifteen naturally infected West African Long Legged goats (Capra hircus) from Northern Benin. Three levels (1, 2 or 4 ml/kg body weight/3 days treatment) of concentration of the herbal drug were administrated to three experimental groups and in comparison with two control groups (one without treatment and the other treated with levamisole as a reference drug). Results showed significant (P<0.001) decrease of faecal strongyle eggs in experimental groups. After three days of treatment, the reduction in the rate of egg shedding was over 70% in animals treated with herbal medicine, whereas egg shedding rates remained the same in the non treated group. The rates of reduction in faecal eggs reached almost 100% in few days (5 to 6 days) among treated animals without a significant dose-dependent effect. Moreover, helminthological autopsy performed on the study animals after treatment showed an almost total absence of worms. C. ambrosioïdes aqueous extract exerted a kind of parasite clearing effect in the abomasums and in the small intestine. This indicates the effectiveness of the herbal extract against gastrointestinal parasitic. The lowest dosage of 1 ml/kg body weight for three days treatment was found to be appropriate and prescriptive. No acute toxicity was recorded and the autopsy of internal organs revealed only rare cases of congestion and petechiae on the liver and lungs in animals treated with 4 ml/kg body weight.