ANTHELMINTIC EFFICACY OF NAUCLEA LATIFOLIA EXTRACT AGAINST GASTROINTESTINAL NEMATODES OF SHEEP:IN VITRO AND IN VIVO STUDIES

Direct effects of Nauclea latifolia extracts on different gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep is described. In vivo and in vitro studies were conducted to determine possible anthelmintic effect of leaf extracts of Nauclea latifolia toward different ovine gastro intestinal nematodes. A larval development assay was used to investigate in vitro, the effect of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of N. latifolia towards strongyles larvae. The development and survival of infective larvae (L3) was assessed and best-fit LC50 values were computed by global model of non-linear regression analysis curve-fitting (95% CI). Twenty sheep harbouring naturally acquired gastrointestinal nematodes were treated with oral administration of ethanolic extracts at a dose rate of 125 mg/kg, 250 mg/kg and 500mg/kg to evaluate therapeutic efficacy, in vivo. The presence of the extracts in the cultures decreased the survival of larvae. The LC50 of aqueous and ethanolic extract were 0.704 and 0.650 mg/ml respectively and differ significantly (