Anthelmintic efficacy of aqueous extract of Butea monosperma (Lam.) Kuntze against Haemonchus contortus of sheep and goats.

Abstract

Infection with Haemonchus contortus is one of the most important economic problems in small ruminants worldwide. Resistance development by parasites, drug residues in meat, toxicity, non-availability and high cost limit the usefulness of currently used synthetic drugs. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to evaluate in vitro anthelmintic efficacy of aqueous extract of seeds of Butea monosperma (Lam.) Kuntze against H. contortus. Phytochemical analysis of extract showed high concentration of phenolic (11.93±0.64mg of GAE/g of extract), flavonoids (238.17±19.14mg of quercetin/g extract) and tannin (10.80±0.70mg of GAE/g of extract) content. The observations revealed that parasites were sluggish and movement was little at 4h post exposure of 25, 50mg/ml and very sluggish in 100mg/ml concentration. The extract showed complete mortality of the adult H. contortus worms at the concentrations of 100mg/ml at the time exposure of 6h and with the concentration of 50mg/ml at the post exposure of 8h. At 25mg/ml concentration 50% mortality was recorded at 6h and complete at 8h post exposure. The LC50 at 6 and 8h were 45.20 and 17.50mg/ml respectively. Levamisole at concentration of 0.5mg/ml caused 50% mortality at 2h post exposure and full mortality at 4h post exposure. These cidal effects may be due to presence of high phenolic, flavonoids and tannin content in the extract. The results confirm the aqueous extract of B. monosperma (Lam.) Kuntze on adult H. contortus worms.