Effect of anagallis arvensis plant against natural infestation of sheep with fasciola sp. a comparative study

ABSTRACT

The present work investigates the efficacy of oral administration of Anagallis arvensis plant in sheep naturally infested with Fasciola gigantica worms. Five apparently healthy and 5 infested animals were orally administered daily with powdered Anagallis arvensis plant [100 mg/kg b. wt.] for 14 days. Another 5 infested sheep were injected subcutaneously with a single dose of nitroxynil at a dose of 1 ml/ 25 kg b.wt. Faecal, haematological and some biochemical parameters were performed before and 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after treatment. The results showed no viable eggs in the faeces at 7th day in infested sheep treated with Nitroxynil, meanwhile 60% and 80% reduction in egg count were recorded at 7th and 14th day respectively in infested sheep treated with the plant respectively. Haematological and biochemical results revealed a significant decrease in erythrocytic count, haemoglobin percent, haematocrit value, total proteins and albumin. There was an increase in the activities of serum Aspartate amintransferase [AST], Alanine aminotransferase [ALT] in addition to leucocytosis, eosinophilia and monocytosis in sheep infested with Fasciola. These values returned to their normal values it 7th day post-treatment. No changes in the levels of calcium, inorganic phosphorus and creatinine in serum of all tested groups were observed. The plant administration displayed no adverse effects in the treated sheep