Extracts of Carica papaya L. and Capsicum annuum L. showed comparable efficacy to piperazine citrate and levamisole hydrochloride in treatment of poultry helminths

Abstract Background In rural smallholder poultry production systems, synthetic anthelmintic drugs are considered expensive and in some instances ineffective because of anthelmintic resistance. We report on the phytochemical properties and efficacy of crude extracts of Carica papaya L. and Capsicum annuum L. against helminth infections of chickens. The experiments that compared the extract action to piperazine and levamisole were carried out in Soroti District, Eastern Uganda. Method An experiment was set to evaluate efficacy of crude extracts of C. papaya and C. annuum against natural poultry helminths infections. Commercially available formulations of levamisole and piperazine were used to make a comparative efficacy study. Faecal egg count reduction (FECR) tests were used to measure efficacy of the treatments. Results On gas chromatograph mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis of CPLa showed, vitamin C (42%), sterols (13%) and Triterpenoids (6%). CPLe contained lipids (45.04%), pyranones (20.3%), diterpenoids (4.9%), triterpenoids (3.5%), phenolics (3.1%), glycosides (2.2%) and steroids (1.4%). GC–MS analysis of CAFa gave lipids (45.04%), alkanes (27.7%) and alkaloids (8.2%). CAFe showed lipids (50.16%), alkaloids (22.73%), glycosides (3.61%) and pyranones (3.55%). In the in vitro assays, 0.08 g/ml of each of the extracts caused motility inhibition of more than 50% of adult A. galli after 5 h. The ranking of the in vivo average FECR was levamisole hydrochloride > CPLa > CAFa > CAFe > CPLe > piperazine citrate with the percentage reductions of 98.67 ± 2.309, 97.67 ± 2.517, 79.67 ± 1.528, 76.33 ± 1.528, 54.00 ± 2.00, 35.67 ± 2.082, respectively. Conclusion The GC–MS analysis of the analysed plants shows presence of terpenoids, phenolics and alkaloids which are known for anthelmintic action. All the extracts caused higher FECR than piperazine. The presence of vitamin C in CPLa made it the best extract. Combinations of anthelmintics with vitamin C are recommended and toxicological studies of extracts.