Abstract
The increasing levels of anthelmintic resistance together with the restrictions in the use of drugs in food producing animals have enforced the search for sustainable alternative approaches for parasite control. The current study aimed to investigate the safety and the efficacy of a commercially available phytotherapic formulation against gastrointestinal strongyles in donkeys. Twenty-two Ragusana jennies (2.6 ± 0.5 years old) were assigned to two equal groups. One group was treated with two doses of a phytotherapic supplement Paraxitebio® containing Cardus mariano, Eucalyptus globulus, Gentiana lutea, Urtica urens, and Mallotus philippinensis, 14 days apart (Group A). One group was used as negative control (Group B). Individual fecal samples were collected at the beginning of the study (T−1), and after 7, 14, and 28 days (T7, T14, T28). Blood samples were collected on T−1 and T28 in order to assess changes in donkeys' hematological profile. After the initial rise in EPG values observed on T7, Group A showed a significant EPG decrease with lower eggs per gram (EPG) count compared to Group B on T28 and an overall fecal egg count reduction of 56.9% on the same time-point. Hematological parameters were within the normal physiological ranges for enrolled donkeys. However, significant differences in the values of RBCs, Hb, MCHC, MCV, WBCs, eosinophils, and basophils were recorded between groups after phytotherapic treatments, with Group A showing a general improvement in the hemogram picture. The phytotherapic supplement used in the current study was helpful in controlling intestinal parasites allowing a significant reduction in the fecal egg count 28 days after treatment. Further studies are needed to better explore the specific mode of action of the plant-derived formulation herein tested as well as to encourage their use as tool for the control of equine strongylosis under multimodal integrated approach in dairy donkey farms.
Highlights
In recent years, donkey farming gained popularity in several countries, such as Italy, France, and Belgium, where these equids are mainly reared for milk production [1]
eggs per gram (EPG) values showed no difference between Groups A and B on T−1, whereas dynamic changes were observed between the two groups at subsequent time-points and in Group A following plant-derived anthelmintic administration (Table 1)
The current study provides data on the usefulness of a commercially available phytoterapic supplement to control intestinal strongyle infection in donkeys
Summary
Donkey farming gained popularity in several countries, such as Italy, France, and Belgium, where these equids are mainly reared for milk production [1]. Equids are usually coinfected with different nematode species, rather than a single helminth species [8], and cyathostomins, known as small strongyles, often represent the 95–100% of the total worm burden These nematodes show a cosmopolitan diffusion, and they are considered as the most important intestinal parasite group in wild and domestic equids for their pathogenic potential at both larval and adult stages [9, 10]. The immature cyathostomins can encyst in the large intestinal wall, and it is thought that these stages can persist for years [11] These stages, in particular early third-stage larvae, are relatively insensitive to most anthelmintics available [12]. When these larvae reemerge in large numbers from the gut wall, a fatal colitis, named larval cyathostominosis, can occur [13]
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