In Vivo Trial of Combretum molle Stem Bark Crude Extract as Anthelminthic in Sheep

Abstract

Gastrointestinal nematodes remain a major constrain to productivity of livestock including sheep. Ethno veterinary practices using a wide variety of indigenous plants have been employed for the effective control of these parasites. However, little is known in the application Combretum molle bark in the treatment of Haemonchosis. This study was therefore conducted to determine anthelminthic efficacy of crude extract of Combretum molle against experimental Haemonchus contortus infection in sheep in vivo. Eighteen (18) helminth free lambs were randomly divided into three groups (A, B and C) of six animals each and were artificially infected with 10,000 larvae of Haemonchus contortus. The lambs were treated orally 7 days post infection. Here, Group A was treated with crude extract of C. molle at 200 mg /kg, B with Albendazole at 200 mg /kg and C with water at 5 ml/kg. Anthelminthic activity was assessed by comparing the number of eggs recovered from the treated lambs. Results revealed that the mean fecal eggs output per gram for groups A, B and C after treatments were 716.67, 96.67 and 12080 respectively. The depolarization produced by C. molle was significant (p> 0.05). The results of this study supported the ancient uses of some of the tested plants in the treatment of intestinal helminthoses. Hence, the active crude of C. molle could be a potential source of anthelminthic agent against H. contortus of sheep. Further pharmacological and toxicological studies are required to establish their use in the sheep production industry..