Efficiency of sulphur in garlic extract and non-sulphur homeopathy in the control of the cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus

Abstract

The objective of the present work was to evaluate the efficacy of a non-sulphur-based homeopathic preparation and a sulphur-containing natural product derived from Allium sativum (Linnaeus) against infestation by the cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Canestrini) (Acari: Ixodidae). A total of 24 crossbred calves (7 : 8 Holstein : Zebu), aged 6-8 months and maintained in individual stables under tick-free conditions, were divided into three groups. Group 1 (control group) received no treatment; Group 2 was treated with 0.01 g/day of the homeopathic preparation Fator C&MC(®), and Group 3 was treated with 20 g/day of Enxofre-Allium sativum(®). After adaptation to the diet for 1 month, each calf was subjected to artificial infestation with 8000 R. (B.) microplus larvae (aged 7-14 days) twice per week over a 5-month period. Numbers of engorged females were recorded every 14 days and samples of freely released engorged females were collected at 14-day intervals commencing 3 months after the start of the experiment. The engorged females were weighed, incubated for 15 days under biochemical oxygen demand conditions at 27 ± 1 °C and relative humidity >85%, and the weights of the egg masses produced were recorded. Other biological parameters, including reproduction estimate, reduction in oviposition and efficiency of treatment, were determined. A significant reduction in the number of engorged females was detected on animals treated with Enxofre-Allium sativum(®) (Group 3) in comparison with the other two groups. The overall efficiency of the treatment with the sulphur-containing product was 64%, whereas that of the homeopathic preparation was 26%. Under the experimental conditions established, Enxofre-Allium sativum(®) can reduce the intensity of the R. (B.) microplus infestation.

Weight gain and control of endo- and ectoparasites of beef heifers treated with allopathic, herbal and homeopathic drugs

“…Engorged female ticks fed on cattle treated for 28 months with a tick biotherapic 12 and 30CH added to the mineral salt provided showed significantly decreased weight, oviposition and egg mass and a consequent decrease in reproductive efficiency (GAZIM et al, 2010). The results of Gazin et al differ from those obtained in this study and in the study of Costa-Junior and Furlong (2011) in experimentally infested 7:8 Holstein:Zebu crossbred animals; the former authors reported no statistically significant reduction in weight of females or in egg production index in animals treated with homeopathic products.…”

“…microplus (SILVA et al, 2008) and in the weight of engorged female ticks and oviposition, hatching rate and reproductive efficiency (GAZIM et al, 2010) were found in heifers and dairy cows that were naturally infested, untreated or treated with biotherapics. In contrast, Signoretti et al (2008) found no significant difference in infestation, and Costa-Junior and Furlong (2011) found no difference in the number or weight of engorged female ticks or the rate of egg production in untreated experimentally infested animals and animals treated with homeopathic biotherapics.…”

“…Currently, several million head of cattle in the country are being treated with homeopathic and herbal formulations in organic and conventional systems. However, despite their increasing use, the efficacy of these control measures has not been validated based on scientific evidence obtained under field conditions (CHAGAS et al, 2008;MOLENTO, 2009;COSTA-JUNIOR;FURLONG, 2011).…”

Homeopathy in parasitic diseases

“…https://doi.org/10.51910/ijhdr.v13i46.683 Table 1 lists articles [17][18][19][20][21][22][23] involving the use of homeopathic medication for treatment of arthropod infestations. In the treatment of cattle infestations by Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, use of biotherapic medications has shown interesting results, such as reduction of the parasites' size and interruption of their biological cycle, with consequent reduction also of parasites' number [17][18][19][20][21][22][23], sometimes even exceeding the effects observed with conventional treatment.…”

“…Once again, the relevance of the stimulus frequency is highlighted. https://doi.org/10.51910/ijhdr.v13i46.683 Table 2 lists articles [3,5,21,23,[30][31][32][33][34][35] involving the use of homeopathic medication for treatment of helminthic infections [5,[30][31][32][33]. The table also lists experimental studies [19,32].…”