Anthelmintic effect of carob pods and sainfoin hay when fed to lambs after experimental trickle infections withHaemonchus contortusandTrichostrongylus colubriformis

Abstract

The aim of the study was to compare the in vivo anthelmintic activity of sainfoin hay (Onobrychis viciifolia) and carob pod meal (Ceratonia siliqua) against gastrointestinal nematodes. Seven days before infection, 64 naive lambs were assigned to four different groups: Group S received sainfoin hay and group CAR was fed with carob pods. The remaining lambs received lucerne hay (Medicago sativa) and were assigned to positive (non-treated, NT) and negative (treated, T) control groups (treatment with albendazole). On day 0, lambs were artificially trickle infected for 6 weeks, with a mixture of infective larvae of Haemonchus contortus and Trichostrongylus colubriformis. Parasitological and pathophysiological parameters were measured repeatedly during the 2-month study. Compared to the NT group, decreases in egg excretion were observed in the CAR and S groups with significant differences only found for sainfoin (p < 0.05). At necropsy, group S showed decreases in the total worm numbers of both nematode species with significant differences for H. contortus. In contrast, no differences were noticed for the CAR group. Compared to the NT group, lower values for fecundity of female H. contortus were found in the S and CAR groups, however differences were non-significant. No differences in body weight gains were found between groups. Consistent results were found showing significantly higher packed cell volume (PCV) values in the T and S groups compared to NT and CAR groups. Overall, these results confirm a positive effect associated with the feeding of lambs with tanniniferous resources on host resilience (PCV values) and against gastrointestinal parasitic nematodes by affecting some biological traits of worm populations (e.g. eggs per gram of faeces and worm numbers). However, the anthelmintic effects differed between the two tannin-containing resources, which might be associated with the quantity and/or quality of secondary metabolites (condensed tannins and/or other polyphenols).

Ceratonia siliqua pod extract ameliorates Schistosoma mansoni-induced liver fibrosis and oxidative stress

“…Further, Arroyo-Lopez et al [18] recently found that feeding lambs with tanniniferous resources from Ceratonia siliqua had a positive effect against gastrointestinal parasitic nematodes by affecting certain biological traits of the worm populations, including eggs per gram of feces and worm numbers. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the antioxidant and possible anti-schistosomal effects of carob pod extract on S. mansoni -infected mice.…”

Anti-parasitic activity of pelleted sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) against Ostertagia ostertagi and Cooperia oncophora in calves

“…This may be due to a lower availability or binding capacity in the small intestine where the local conditions are different from the abomasum [ 5 ]. Accordingly, the majority of studies in sheep have reported a greater effect of sainfoin against abomasal versus small intestinal nematodes [ 21 , 38 , 50 ], but similar AH effect of sainfoin in the two gut compartments has also been reported [ 23 ]. The opposite case: a better effect against small intestinal nematodes, was only reported in studies of sheep fed with quebracho as a source of CT that contains profisetinidins, another type of flavanol basic units [ 51 ].…”

“…A few studies found that a lower female worm fecundity, rather than a lower worm burden, was responsible for FEC reduction in goats and sheep [ 20 , 23 ]. Other studies have reported reduced numbers of adult H. contortus in lambs without any accompanying significant effect on worm fecundity after feeding sainfoin for 16 or 70 days [ 21 , 38 ].…”

Plants and their medicinal potential for controling gastrointestinal nematodes in ruminants

“…The effect of condensed tannins, prodelphinidins and procyanidins to inhibit the exsheathment H. contortus larvae can be enhanced by association with polyphenols such as quercetin and luteolin, with the synergistic effect depending on the tannin's structure. Procyanidins were found to be less active [61] , indicating the different activity levels among tannins [62] . A similar effect was observed with caffeic acid, whose ovicidal action was enhanced by quercetin.…”