Avaliação comparada da ação anti-helmíntica da batata de purga (Operculina hamiltonii (G. DON) D.F AUSTIN & STAPLES), do Melão de São Caetano (Momordica charantia L.) e do campim santo (Cymbopogon citratus (D.C) stapf em caprinos naturalmente infectados.

Abstract

Gastrintestinal helminthosis represents a limiting factor in small ruminant production. Its control has been carried out by the indiscriminate use of anti-helminthic drugs favoring the development of resistance to these products. This study has the objective to compare the anti-helminthic action of three plants [Operculina hamiltonii (batata de purga), Marmodica charantia (Melão de São Caetano), Cymbopogon citratus (capim santo)] and the commercial anti-helminthic 0.2% moxedctin on the natural helminth infections of goats. Forty 6-to-12-month old female goats of undefined breed, naturally infected by gastrintestinal helminthes, were used. Each antihelminthic plant and the chemical anti-helminthic commercial product were administered to 10 randomly chosen animals. Feces samples were collected at days 0, 30 and 60 following the antihelminth administration in order to count the number of eggs per gram of feces (EPG) and to perform larva culture. The effects of anti-helminthic treatments were evaluated by the EPG reduction test. RECE of the animals treated with O. hamiltonii, M. charantia, C. citratus and 0.2% moxedctin were 63; 40; 72 and 100%, on day 30, and 90, 40, 77 and 100% on day 60. In decreasing order, Haemonchus spp., Bunostomum sp; Oesophagostomum spp. and Trichostrongylus larvae were observed in all feces samples. It can be said that the use of antihelminthic plants is a viable way to control gastrintestinal parasitism on naturally infected goats in the semi-arid region of Paraíba.