Anthelmintic efficacity of balanites Aegyptiaca (l.) Delile (Zygophyllaceae) almonds on three developmental stages of haemonchus contortus

Abstract

Gastrointestinal nematodes are a major constraint on small ruminant farming in Burkina Faso. To overcome this, rural farmers use the Balanites aegyptiaca plant to combat gastrointestinal parasites on their family farms. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the in vitro anthelmintic efficacy of the aqueous extract of B. aegyptiaca almonds powder against the parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus. To this end, in vitro tests were carried out to evaluate the biological activity of the aqueous extract using five increasing concentrations over the three life stages of H. contortus by performing the tests (i) inhibition of egg hatch, (ii) inhibition of larva development and (iii) mortality of adult female worms. The results showed 21.22-80.4 %, 47.80-88.57 % and 22.20-100 % of ovicide, larvicide and vermicide rates, respectively. The effects were dose and exposition time dependent. The median lethal inhibition concentrations (IC50) were estimated to be 2.20 and 0.84 mg/ mL for the inhibitionof egg and the inhibition of larva, respectively. It can be concluded that B. aegyptiaca almonds powder has anthelmintic activity against H. contortus. However, this activity needs to be verified in vivo to reassure farmers about its use in small ruminant raising.