Potential of Basil Leaf Microherbal as Anthelmintic against Haemonchus contortus

Abstract

Haemonchus contortus is a prevalent and pathogenic parasite in ruminants that is resistant to common anthelmintic treatment. This study evaluated the anthelmintic effectiveness of Ocimum africanum leaf on a micron scale against H. contortus eggs, infective stage larvae (L3s), and adult worms. The effectiveness of three microherbal concentrations (10%, 5%, and 1%) was evaluated using an egg hatch assay and larval and adult worm motility inhibition assays. The negative control group used 10% PBS, while the positive control used 10 mg/mL of Albendazole. The findings of this study demonstrated that the highest concentration of microherbal treatment produced effects comparable to those of Albendazole (p>0.05) on eggs, L3, and adult worms. Adult worms become immobilized within one to four hours of exposure to 10% microherbal. This study revealed that basil leaves in the form of microherbals were effective as an anthelmintic against various stages of H. contortus.