<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>The health and production of small ruminants in constantly menaced by parasitic infections, especially those caused by the blood-sucking gastrointestinal nematode <italic>Haemonchus contortus</italic>. The aim of this study was to assess the structural cuticular changes in adult <italic>H. contortus</italic> induced by the use of extracts from local medicinal plants and to examine their ovicidal activity. Previous studies have confirmed the beneficial effect of herbal mixtures in preventing haemonchosis in lambs by lowering fecal egg production and improving immunocompetence. We exposed adult <italic>H. contortus</italic> to Herbmix (a mixture of medicinal plants) under <italic>in vivo</italic> and <italic>in vitro</italic> conditions for observation by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). For the <italic>in vivo</italic> observations, adult worms were isolated from the abomasa of experimentally infected lambs from a Herbmix group and a control group. Surface structure did not differ significantly between the exposed and control groups. The ovicidal activity of an aqueous Herbmix extract was assessed <italic>in vitro</italic>, establishing the inhibition of hatching with an ED<sub>50</sub> of 6.52 mg/mL. Adult worms for <italic>in vitro</italic> examination were isolated from experimentally infected lambs and incubated in Herbmix aqueous extracts for 24 h. SEM observations indicated that none of the worms had prominent ultrastructural changes on their cuticles. This study suggests that previously demonstrated antiparasitic effects of medicinal plants did not negatively affect adult parasites by damaging their external structures.</p></abstract>

The health and production of small ruminants in constantly menaced by parasitic infections, especially those caused by the blood-sucking gastrointestinal nematode Haemonchus contortus. The aim of this study was to assess the structural cuticular changes in adult H. contortus induced by the use of extracts from local medicinal plants and to examine their ovicidal activity. Previous studies have confirmed the beneficial effect of herbal mixtures in preventing haemonchosis in lambs by lowering fecal egg production and improving immunocompetence. We exposed adult H. contortus to Herbmix (a mixture of medicinal plants) under in vivo and in vitro conditions for observation by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). For the in vivo observations, adult worms were isolated from the abomasa of experimentally infected lambs from a Herbmix group and a control group. Surface structure did not differ significantly between the exposed and control groups. The ovicidal activity of an aqueous Herbmix extract was assessed in vitro, establishing the inhibition of hatching with an ED50 of 6.52 mg/mL. Adult worms for in vitro examination were isolated from experimentally infected lambs and incubated in Herbmix aqueous extracts for 24 h. SEM observations indicated that none of the worms had prominent ultrastructural changes on their cuticles. This study suggests that previously demonstrated antiparasitic effects of medicinal plants did not negatively affect adult parasites by damaging their external structures.

Does <italic>in vitro</italic> and <italic>in vivo</italic> exposure to medicinal herbs cause structural cuticular changes in <italic>Haemonchus contortus</italic>?

Helminthologia

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Does  and  exposure to medicinal herbs cause structural cuticular changes in ?

The health and production of small ruminants in constantly menaced by parasitic infections, especially those caused by the blood-sucking gastrointestinal...

Does in vitro and in vivo exposure to medicinal herbs cause structural cuticular changes in Haemonchus contortus?

Article Category: Research Article

Published Online: Dec 17, 2022

Page range: 265 - 274

Received: May 16, 2022

Accepted: Aug 30, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/helm-2022-0023

Keywords
medicinal plants, herbal mixtures, antiparasitic effect, scanning electron microscopy

© 2022 M. Komáromyová, D. Barčák, A. Königová, M. Urda Dolinská, M. Várady, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Does in vitro and in vivo exposure to medicinal herbs cause structural cuticular changes in Haemonchus contortus?

Article Category: Research Article

Published Online: Dec 17, 2022

Page range: 265 - 274

Received: May 16, 2022

Accepted: Aug 30, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/helm-2022-0023

Keywordsmedicinal plants, herbal mixtures, antiparasitic effect, scanning electron microscopy

© 2022 M. Komáromyová, D. Barčák, A. Königová, M. Urda Dolinská, M. Várady, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
medicinal plants, herbal mixtures, antiparasitic effect, scanning electron microscopy