Extracts of carica papaya L. and capsicum annuum L. showed comparable efficacy to piperazine citrate and levamisole hydrochloride in treatment of poultry helminths

Abstract

<title>Abstract</title> Background In rural smallholder poultry production systems, commercially available anthelmintic drugs are generally expensive, and in some instances ineffective because of resistance developed against. We report on the phytochemical properties and efficacy of crude extracts of <italic>carcia papaya</italic> and <italic>capsicum annuum</italic> against natural helminth infections of chicken in <bold>……..</bold> District, Eastern <bold>………..</bold> Methods An experiment was set to evaluate efficacy of crude extracts of <italic>C. papaya</italic> and <italic>C. annuum</italic> against natural poultry helminths infections. Commercially available formulations of levamisole and piperazine were used as control treatments. Faecal egg count reduction (FECR) tests were used to measure efficacy of the treatments. Results On gas chromatograph mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of CPLa showed sterols (13%), Vitamin C (42%), Triterpenoids (6%). CPLe contained pyranones (20.3%), phenolics (3.1%), glycosides (2.2%), diterpenoids (4.9%), lipids (45.04%), triterpenoids (3.5%) and steroids (1.4%). Gas Chromatography-mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of CAFa gave lipids (45.04%), alkanes (27.7%) and alkaloids (8.2%). CAFe showed glycosides (3.61%), lipids (50.16%), pyranones (3.55%) and alkaloids (22.73%). In the <italic>in-vitro</italic> assays; 0.08g/ml of each of the extracts had immobilized more than 50% of adult <italic>A. galli</italic> after five hours. The ranking of the <italic>in-vivo</italic> average FECR was Levamisole hydrochloride &gt; CPLa &gt; CAFa &gt; CAFe &gt; CPLe &gt; piperazine citrate with the percentage reductions of 98.67 ± 2.309, 97.67 ± 2.517, 79.67 ± 1.528, 76.33 ± 1.528, 54.00 ± 2.00, 35.67 ± 2.082 respectively. Conclusion The GC-MS analysis of the analysed plants shows presesnce of terpenoids, phenolics and alkaloids which are known for anthelmintic action. All the extracts caused higher FECR than piperazine. The presence of Vitamin C in CPLa resulted in it being as good as levamisole. Combinations of anthelmintics with Vitamin C are recommended and toxicological studies before recommendation of these alternatives.