Blood parameters and immune responses during haemonchosis

Abstract

The aim of this experiment was to determine the effect of medicinal plants (Artemisia absinthium and Malva sylvestris) as feed supplements on blood parameters, and local immune responses in the abomasum of Haemonchus contortus infected lambs. Twenty-four lambs were infected orally with 5000 L3 larvae of H. contortus and subsequently randomly divided into four groups: unsupplemented animals (UNS), animals with A. absinthium (ART), animals with M. sylvestris (MAL), and animals with a mix of two plants (ARTMAL). During the experiment, samples of blood were taken for evaluation of hemoglobin and albumin levels. All animals were humanely killed after 75 days of the experiment, and abomasum tissue samples were taken for histopathology. The hemoglobin concentration in the blood was influenced by time (p <0.001) and in all groups decreased until day 45. The serum albumin levels were influenced by treatment (p <0.05) and time (p <0.001) and in all groups occurred reduction until the end of the experiment compared to day 15. The number of plasma cells was higher in ARTMAL compared to MAL (p <0.05). UNS and ART had significantly higher numbers of mast cells compared to MAL (p <0.01 and 0.05, respectively). The regeneration of abomasal tissue was most frequent in ARTMAL. The results showed that dietary supplementation by A. absinthium and M. sylvestris did not positively affected blood parameters but influenced local immune response in the abomasum of H. contortus infected sheep.