Efficacy of pawpaw seed extracts in the management of gastrointestinal nematodes in pigs

Abstract

Pigs is one of the species reared by socio-economically weaker sections of the society. It is evident that pigs’ population increased significantly from 0.19 million in 1980 to 1.7 million in 2002 and to 3.2 in 2008 (Report, n.d.) and Soroti has a total of 75000 pigs (UBoS, 2009). Gastro intestinal helminthes are still a major bottle neck to the piggery industry all over Uganda (Biosecurity, 2017) since most farmers in rural areas of Uganda keep pigs in dirty premises that can stimulate incubation of helminths hence leading to increased demand for other interventions to control helminthes. During the previous years, most of the farmers have insufficient knowledge of use of synthetic chemotherapeutic agents against helminthes (Nsadha, 2013). The comparative studies on efficacy of anthelmintic of papaya seed extract was investigated in naturally infested pigs.12 pigs weighing averagely 15kgs live body weight were used to compare the efficacy of aqueous papaya seed extract and levamisole in control of gastro intestinal nematodes. The pigs were purposely assigned into three groups namely A, B and C and D each containing four pigs. Group A, B and C were assigned to papaya seed extract treatment of 1.5%, 2.5%and 7.5% respectively while group D were treated with synthetic drug (levamisole). A week after treatments faecal samples were collected to evaluate faecal egg count. The result showed a remarkable reduction in the level of nematodes under study and papaya extract of 1.5% was the most effective in controlling gastrointestinal nematodes in pigs. However, there was no significant difference in the reduction of faecal egg count in pigs treated with levamisole and the extract meaning that papaya extract anthelmintic effect is equivalent to that of levamisole. Ascari suum was the most responsive nematode to treatment with the extract among the worms under study. Therefore, the effect of treatment of pigs with carica papaya seed extract in this study showed that carica papaya seed extract can act as alternative cheap source of anthelmintic and most effective concentration in management of nematodes is 1.5% papaya seed extract.