COMPARATIVE EFFICACY OF NEEM LEAVES, PINEAPPLE LEAVES AND LEVAMISOLE AGAINST GASTROINTESTINAL NEMATODIASIS IN SHEEP

Abstract

The experiment was conducted in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Science, Sylhet Agricultural University (SAU), Sylhet for a period of six months from January to

June, 2014 to study the effects of neem leaves, pineapple leaves and levamisole HCl against gastrointestinal nematodiasis in sheep. The study included 35 sheep of which 27 sheep were naturally infected and randomly selected 20 sheep on the basis of their egg count by McMaster method. The 20 sheep were divided into 4 groups each consisting of 5 animals. Group T0 served as the infected control group, whereas groups T1, T2, and T3 were treated with neem leaves, pineapple leaves (10% water extract of leaves @ 100 ml/sheep) and levamisole HCl (Levavet ® @ 8 mg/kg body weight), respectively. Faecal and blood samples were collected before treatment on day 0, and on post-treatment days 7 th , th st th 14 , 21 and 28 of study. Pre and post-treatment EPG (eggs per gram) values were recorded and efficacies compared. A significant (p<0.01) reduction of EPG count was found on 7 th , th st th 14 , 21 and 28 day of neem leaves (50.08%, 48.00%, 46.00% and 44.00%), pineapple leaves (40.00%, 37.77%, 35.55% and 31.11%) and levamisole HCl (72.72%, 70.90%, 69.09% and 67.27%) treated sheep. The EPG count of control group were significantly (p<0.01) increased about 2.17%, 4.34%, 8.69% and 15.21% on 7 th th st th , 14 , 21 and 28 day, respectively. The body weight was increased significantly (p<0.01) on 7 th th and 28 day and th (p<0.05) on 14 st and 21 day in neem leaves, pineapple leaves and levamisole HCl treated sheep. In case of control group, the body weight was decreased. After treatment with neem leaves, pineapple leaves and levamisole, total erythrocyte count (TEC) was increased significantly (p<0.01) on 14 th st and 21 day and (p<0.05) on 7 th th and 28 day in sheep. On the other hand total leukocyte count (TLC) was decreased significantly (p< 0.01) on 21 st day and th (p<0.05) on 14 day in sheep. The haemoglobin (Hb) content was increased significantly th (p<0.05) on 14 th and 28 day. The packed cell volume (PCV) was increased significantly th th (p<0.01) on 7 st th , 14 , 21 and 28 day. Levamisole HCl was more effective than neem and pineapple leaves extract against gastrointestinal nematodiasis in sheep. On the other hand comparatively neem leaves extract was more effective than pineapple leaves extract against gastrointestinal nematodiasis in sheep. So from the findings of this study, it is obvious that plant materials (10% water extract of neem leaves and pineapple leaves) have some potential effects on gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep.