In Vitro Anthelmintic Efficacy of Two Wild Herbs Peganum harmala and Withania somnifera Against Haemonchus contortus

Aqueous and methanolic extracts, Ovicidal activity, Larvicidal activity, Adulticidal activity, Haemonchus contortusPeganum harmala and Withania somnifera are two medicinally important wild herbs.To explore the use of green harmonious bioproducts, the aqueous and methanolic extracts of these plants were assessed against the eggs, larvae and worms of abomasal blood sucking parasites Haemonchus contortus using concentrations of 3.125, 6.25, 12.5, 25 and 50 mg/mL.The tests were performed at a set-temperature (25-30C) maintained in a newly designed apparatus to mimic abomasal conditions.The investigated concentrations (3.125-50 mg/mL) displayed dose-dependent significant increase (p < 0.05) different from both negative (PBS and 3% DMSO) and the positive controls (Albendazole) (12.5 mg/mL).With respect to the highest 50 mg/ mL concentration, 100% of the adult worms were found dead in methanolic extracts (MEs) as compared to 80% deaths in aqueous extracts (AEs) of these plants after 8 h of extract exposure.Similarly, higher larval (L1) mortality was observed in MEs of W. somnifera (83.7%) and P. harmala (82.7%) compared to their AEs (W.somnifera=55.7%and P. harmala=59%).Interestingly, ME of W. somnifera was 90.3% showed higher inhibitory effects on egg hatching as compared to ME of P. harmala (79%).Moreover, the AEs of these plants had lower ovicidal activity (W.somnifera=72.7%and P. harmala=74.3%) than their methanolic counterparts.Considering these results (50 mg/mL) and the lethal concentration (LC 50 ), calculated for adulticidal, larvicidal and ovicidal assays, the AE (31.85 mg/mL, 35.84 mg/mL, 40.34 mg/ mL) and ME (24.79 mg/mL, 24.38 mg/mL, 34.67 mg/mL) of W. somnifera was found more potent than the AE (39.5 mg/mL, 45.09 mg/mL, 40.74 mg/mL) and ME (26.88 mg/mL, 20.72 mg/mL, 36.04 mg/mL) of P. harmala.Taken together, these findings suggest that these herbal extracts are effective and can be used to develop novel, low-cost anthelmintics for H. contortus control in goats, sheep and cattle.