Anthelmintic Activity of Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium L.) and Mallow (Malva sylvestris L.) against Haemonchus contortus in Sheep.

Dominika Mravčáková,Michaela Urda Dolinská,Adam Cieslak,Daniel Petrič,Michaela Komáromyová,Sylwester Ślusarczyk,Klaudia Čobanová,Alžbeta Königová,Michal Babják,Marián Várady,Zora Váradyová

doi:10.3390/ani10020219

Abstract

Simple SummaryThe gastrointestinal parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus of small ruminants is an important target for chemoprophylaxis. Repeated use of anthelmintics in the form of synthetic drugs increases the risk of residues in food products and the development of anthelmintic resistance. However, the use of combinations of dry traditional medicinal plants as nutraceuticals is an alternative to chemotherapeutics for controlling haemonchosis in ruminants. Therefore, the aim of this study is to determine the effect of dietary supplementation with wormwood, mallow and their mix on parasitological status and inflammatory response in lambs experimentally infected with H. contortus. Simultaneously, the present study evaluated by the egg hatch test the in vitro anthelminthic effects of different concentrations (50–1.563 mg/mL) of the aqueous extracts of these plants. Our results revealed that the strong anthelmintic effect of both medicinal plants observed in vitro was not fully confirmed in vivo. This knowledge builds on our previously published findings and highlights that the effect of dry medicinal plants depends on the variety and synergy of plant polyphenols and the combination of bioactive compounds that together have an effect and contribute to a certain pharmacological efficacy.The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of dry wormwood and mallow on the gastrointestinal parasite of small ruminants Haemonchus contortus. Twenty-four experimentally infected lambs were randomly divided into four groups of six animals each: unsupplemented lambs, lambs supplemented with wormwood, lambs supplemented with mallow and animals supplemented with a mix of both plants. Faecal samples from the lambs were collected on day 23, 29, 36, 43, 50, 57, 64 and 75 post-infection for quantification of the number of eggs per gram (EPG). The mix of both plants contained phenolic acids (10.7 g/kg DM) and flavonoids (5.51 g/kg DM). The nematode eggs were collected and in vitro egg hatch test was performed. The aqueous extracts of both plants exhibited strong ovicidal effect on H. contortus, with ED50 and ED99 values of 1.40 and 3.76 mg/mL and 2.17 and 5.89 mg/mL, respectively, in the in vitro tests. Despite the great individual differences between the treated lambs in eggs reduction, the mean EPG of the untreated and treated groups did not differ (p > 0.05). Our results indicate that using wormwood and mallow as dietary supplements do not have a sufficient effect on lambs infected with H. contortus.

Highlights

The gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infection haemonchosis is a prevalent parasitic disease associated with economic losses, lowered productivity, morbidity and mortality
Various bioactive compounds that possess an anthelmintic effect [2,3] and antibacterial and antioxidant activities have been isolated from wormwood (Artemisia absinthium L.) [4,5]
In relation to flavonoids with antioxidant properties, we identified mainly flavones, flavonols and flavanones [28], which may have anthelmintic activity [3,29]

Summary

Introduction

The gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infection haemonchosis is a prevalent parasitic disease associated with economic losses, lowered productivity, morbidity and mortality. The screening of traditional medicinal plants containing promising contents of bioactive compounds with anthelmintic activity has great potential as an alternative source of natural anthelmintics and antioxidants that may be sustainable and environmentally acceptable. Various bioactive compounds (i.e., polyphenols, flavonoids, condensed tannins) that possess an anthelmintic effect [2,3] and antibacterial and antioxidant activities have been isolated from wormwood (Artemisia absinthium L.) [4,5]. Many authors have reported the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of wormwood essential oils [6,7] and the anthelmintic activity of the flavonoids quercetin and apigenin [3]. The high pharmacological activity of the medicinal plant mallow (Malva sylvestris L.), due to the presence of amino acids, flavonoids, mucilages, terpenoids, phenol derivatives, enzymes, coumarins and sterols, is known [11,12]. Antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties [13,14]

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