Indigenous practices for the treatment of diarrhoea in goats and their scientific validation

Abstract

Three indigenous technical practices on treatment of diarrhoea, viz. juice of urhul (Hibiscus rosa sinensis) flower, paste of bark of pojo (Litsaea anthapoly) plants and takala (Cassia tora) flower juice, used by rural farmers of country were validated as antidiarrhoeal in goats. The plant materials were collected and methanolic extract were prepared and evaluated in clinical cases of diarrhoea in goats. The antibacterial property of the extracts was tested against isolated ETEC strains of Escherichia. coli (026, 032 and 02). The qualitative chemical analysis of each plant extract revealed the presence of flavonoids, glycosides, tannins, carbohydrates, alkaloids in urhul flowers; glycosides, tannins, alkaloids, carbohydrates and saponins in pojo bark extract and flavinoids, glycosides, tannins, saponins, carbohydrates in takala leaves extracts. Antibiogram study of extracts in different concentration (1, 2, 4, 8, 16 mg/disc) of pojo bark extract, showed 8-14 mm zone of inhibition in 4,8,16 mg concentration; takala leaves showed 8-9 mm zone of inhibition at 16 mg per disc concentration only. Urhul flower did not show anti-E. coli activity. Diarrhoic goats were given the methanolic extract @ 50, 30 and 20 mglkg body weight of urhul flowers, takala leaves and pojo bark after preparing suspension in gum acacia (5%). Faecal, dehydration and recovery scores improved in all extracts but was the best in pojo bark followed by urhul flowers and takala leaves. All the extracts were considered safe, as there were no untoward reactions noticed during treatment in goats.