Anthelmintic potential of essential oils and their components against caprine multi-drug resistant gastrointestinal nematodes of Punjab

Nirbhay Kumar Singh; Karishma Chauhan; Amanpreet Kaur; Jyoti; Manisha; Harkirat Singh

doi:10.56093/ijans.v96i10.179774

Authors

Nirbhay Kumar Singh Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana
Karishma Chauhan
Amanpreet Kaur
Jyoti
Manisha
Harkirat Singh

https://doi.org/10.56093/ijans.v96i10.179774

Keywords:

Anthelmintic resistance, Anthelmintic efficacy, Essential oils, Essential oil components, Gastrointestinal nematodes

Abstract

The growing widespread emergence of multi-anthelmintic resistance in Punjab state, India has become a major concern in small ruminants, where gastrointestinal nematodes severely affects productivity and their control still heavily relies on the administration of synthetic broad-spectrum anthelmintics. However, the selection for resistance, chemical residues in milk and meat, environmental impact and limitations in organic livestock farming has led to exploration of alternative control strategies. The anthelmintic potential of selected essential oils (EOs) viz. cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), clove (Syzygium aromaticum), garlic (Allium sativum), lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) and peppermint (Mentha piperita) oil as well as essential oil components (EOCs) like cinnamaldehyde, citral, eugenol, menthol and limonene was evaluated by in vitro tests against a caprine gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) population resistant to benzimidazoles, levamisole and ivermectin. The data generated were subjected to probit regression analysis and lethal concentration (LC) values were calculated. Among the tested EOs, garlic and cinnamon oils exhibited the strongest ovicidal activity with respective LC₅₀ (95% CI) values of 36.47 (33.7-38.8) and 39.76 (30.5-50.2) ppm while for EOCs, cinnamaldehyde and eugenol revealed the lowest values, as 68.53 (54.3-83.3) and 114.61 (102.1-127.9) ppm. The findings indicate that selected EOs and EOCs may serve as promising natural alternatives to control multi-resistant GINs in small ruminants.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

Nirbhay Kumar Singh, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana

Professor

Department of Veterinary Parasitology,
College of Veterinary Science,
GADVASU, Ludhiana

References

Ahmed, S S, AL-jubori A A A. 2020. Garlic (Allium sativum) and clove (Syzygium aromaticum) as alternative treatments for the control of Haemonchus contortus in sheep. Plant Archives 20: 106-109.

Almeida M D, Botura M B, Santos M M, Almeida G N, Domingues L F, Costa S L, Batatinha M J M. 2003. Efeitos dos extratos aquosos de folhas de Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf (capimsanto) e de Digitaria insularis (L.) Fedde (Capim-açu) sobre cultivos de larvas de nematóides gastrintestinais de caprinos. Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária 12: 125-129.

BAHS. 2023. Basic Animal Husbandry Statistics. Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal husbandry & Dairying, Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi.

Bang K H, Lee D W, Park H M, Rhee Y H. 2000. Inhibition of fungal cell wall synthesizing enzymes by trans-cinnamaldehyde. Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry 64: 1061-1063.

Chadda A, Meena D C, Singh J. 2025. Exploring the value chain of small ruminants: A review. Indian Journal of Small Ruminants (The) 31: 1-15.

Charitha V G, Adeppa J, Malakondaiah P. 2017. In vitro anthelmintic activity of Syzygium aromaticum and Melia dubia against Haemonchus contortus of sheep. The Indian Journal of Animal Sciences 87: 968-970.

Chauhan K, Kaur A, Jyoti, Manisha, Sharma D, Singh H, Singh N K. 2026. Integrated epidemiology and multi-assay evidence of anthelmintic resistance in ovine gastrointestinal nematodes of Northern India. Scientific Reports doi: 10.1038/s41598-026-48518-y.

Choudhary S, Marjianović D S, Wong C R, Zhang X, Abongwa M, Coats J R, Trailović S M, Martin R J, Robertson A P. 2019. Menthol acts as a positive allosteric modulator on nematode levamisole sensitive nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. International Journal for Parasitology: Drugs and Drug Resistance 9: 44-53. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2018.12.005.

Coles G C, Bauer C, Borgsteede F H M, Geerts S, Klei T R, Taylor M A, Waller P J. 1992. World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology (WAAVP) methods for the detection of anthelmintic resistance in nematodes of veterinary importance. Veterinary Parasitology 44: 35-44. doi: 10.1016/0304-4017 (92)90141-U.

Coles G C, Jackson F, Pomroy W E, Prichard R K, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Silvestre A, Taylor M A, Vercruysse J. 2006. The detection of anthelmintic resistance in nematodes of veterinary importance. Veterinary Parasitology 136: 167-185. doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2005.11.019.

Dardona Z, Amane M, Boussaa S. 2024. Garlic (Allium sativum): An in-depth review focusing on its potent antiparasitic activity. GSC Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences 28: 7-26.

Doyle A A, Stephens J C. 2019. A review of cinnamaldehyde and its derivatives as antibacterial agents. Fitoterapia 139: 104405. doi: 10.1016/j.fitote.2019.104405.

Gonzales A P P F, Yoshioka E T O, Mathews P D, Mertins O, Chaves F C M, Videira M N, Tavares-Dias M. 2020. Anthelminthic efficacy of Cymbopogon citratus essential oil (Poaceae) against monogenean parasites of Colossoma macropomum (Serrasalmidae), and blood and histopathological effects. Aquaculture 528: 735500. doi: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2020.735500.

Hernando G, Turani O, Rodriguez Araujo N, Pulido Carrasquero A, Bouzat C. 2025. Unraveling anthelmintic targets and mechanisms of action of trans-cinnamaldehyde from cinnamon essential oil. Scientific Reports 15: 5422. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-89883-4.

Hierro I, Valero A, Navarro M C. 2006. In vivo larvicidal activity of monoterpenic derivatives from aromatic plants against L3 larvae of Anisakis simplex sl. Phytomedicine 13: 527-531. doi: 10.1016/j.phymed.2005.05.001.

Ilangopathy M, Palavesam A, Amaresan S S, Muthusamy R. 2019. Economic impact of gastrointestinal nematodes on meat production from sheep. International Journal of Livestock Research 9: 44-48.

Juyal P D, Singh N K, Singh H. 2013. Diagnostic Veterinary Parasitology: An Introduction. 1st Edn, New India Publishing Agency, India.

Katiki L M, Barbieri A M E, Araujo R C, Veríssimo C J, Louvandini H, Ferreira J F S. 2017. Synergistic interaction of ten essential oils against Haemonchus contortus in vitro. Veterinary Parasitology 243: 47-51. doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2017.06.008.

Katiki L M, Chagas A D S, Bizzo H R, Ferreira J F S, Amarante A F T D. 2011. Anthelmintic activity of Cymbopogon martinii, Cymbopogon schoenanthus and Mentha piperita essential oils evaluated in four different in vitro tests. Veterinary Parasitology 183: 103-108. doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2011.07.001.

Kaur A, Kaur N, Chauhan K, Jyoti, Singh H, Singh N K. 2025. Epidemiology of caprine gastrointestinal nematodes and associated efficacy of anthelmintic drugs in Punjab districts, India. Scientific Reports 15: 5211. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-89784-6.

Kotze A C, Prichard R K. 2016. Anthelmintic resistance in Haemonchus contortus: history, mechanisms and diagnosis. Advances in Parasitology 93: 397-428. doi: 10.1016/bs.apar.2016.02.012.

Krstin S, Sobeh M, Braun M S, Wink M. 2018. Tulbaghia violacea and Allium ursinum extracts exhibit anti-parasitic and antimicrobial activities. Molecules 23: 313. doi: 10.3390/molecules23020313.

Le Ora Software. 2004. A user’s guide to probit or logit analysis. Berkeley, CA: Le Ora Software.

López M D, Pascual-Villalobos M J. 2010. Mode of inhibition of acetylcholinesterase by monoterpenoids and implications for pest control. Industrial Crops and Products 31: 284-288. doi: 10.1016/j.indcrop.2009.11.005.

Macedo I T F, Bevilaqua C M, de Oliveira L M, Camurça-Vasconcelos A L, Vieira L D S, Oliveira F R, Queiroz-Junior E M, Tomé A D R, Nascimento N R. 2010. Anthelmintic effect of Eucalyptus staigeriana essential oil against goat gastrointestinal nematodes. Veterinary Parasitology 173: 93-98. doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2010.06.004.

Macedo I T F, Oliveira L M B D, Ribeiro W L C, Santos J M L D, Silva K D C, Araújo Filho J V D, Camurça-Vasconcelos A L F, Bevilaqua C M L. 2015. Anthelmintic activity of Cymbopogon citratus against Haemonchus contortus. Revista Brasileira de Parasitologia Veterinária 24: 268-275. doi: 10.1590/S1984-29612015059.

MAFF. 1986. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Manual of Veterinary Parasitological Laboratory Techniques. pp. 7–15.

Meyer S L, Lakshman D K, Zasada I A, Vinyard B T, Chitwood D J. 2008. Dose–response effects of clove oil from Syzygium aromaticum on the root‐knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita. Pest Management Science 64: 223-229. doi: 10.1002/ps.1502.

Papadopoulos E. 2007. Anthelmintic resistance in sheep nematodes. Small Ruminant Research 76: 99-103. doi: 10.1016/j.smallrumres.2007.12.012.

Park M J, Gwak K S, Yang I, Choi W S, Jo H J, Chang J W, Jeung E B, Choi I G. 2007. Antifungal activities of the essential oils in Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. Et Perry and Leptospermum petersonii Bailey and their constituents against various dermatophytes. Journal of Microbiology 45: 460-465.

Pessoa L M, Morais S M, Bevilaqua C M L, Luciano J H S. 2002. Anthelmintic activity of essential oil of Ocimum gratissimum Linn. and eugenol against Haemonchus contortus. Veterinary Parasitology 109: 59-63. doi: 10.1016/S0304-4017(02)00253-4.

Rolnik A, Olas B. 2021. The plants of the Asteraceae family as agents in the protection of human health. International Journal of Molecular Sciences 22: 3009. doi: 10.3390/ijms22063009.

Ruffell A, Raza A, Elliott T P, Kotze A C. 2018. The use of the larval development assay for predicting the in vivo efficacy of levamisole against Haemonchus contortus and Trichostrongylus colubriformis. Veterinary Parasitology 260: 6-11. doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2018.07.013.

Štrbac F, Krnjajić S, Stojanović D, Ratajac R, Simin N, Orčić D, Rinaldi L, Ciccone E, Maurelli M P, Cringoli G, Bosco A. 2023. In vitro and in vivo anthelmintic efficacy of peppermint (Mentha x piperita L.) essential oil against gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 10: 1232570. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1232570.

Van Wyk J A, Mayhew E. 2013. Morphological identification of parasitic nematode infective larvae of small ruminants and cattle: A practical lab guide. Onderstepoort Journal of Veterinary Research 80: 539. doi: 10.4102/ojvr.v80i1.539.

Williams A R, Ramsay A, Hansen T V, Ropiak H M, Mejer H, Nejsum P, Mueller-Harvey I, Thamsborg S M. 2015. Anthelmintic activity of trans-cinnamaldehyde and A-and B-type proanthocyanidins derived from cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum). Scientific Reports 5: 14791. doi: 10.1038/srep14791.