Indian Journal of Experimental Biology Vol. 53, July 2015, pp. 452-456

Effects of alcoholic extract of Curcuma longa on infestation affecting

Abdulrazak Labi Alrubaie* Department of Biological Resistance Technologies, Al-Musiab Technical College, PO Box 20, Babylon, Iraq Received 22 January 2014; revised 26 April 2014

Ascaridia galli, the common intestinal , remains a major cause of economic loss in the industry in developing countries. Treatments using chemicals are not only expensive but also affect host health. Plant extracts as better alternative is gaining significance. Here, we have studied the effects of alcoholic extract of turmeric, Curcuma longa L. (Zingiberaceae) roots, against A. galli infection in chicken. Different concentrations of C. longa root extract were tested in vitro on 5 groups of adults A. galli worms and in vivo on 6 groups of chicks. The results showed that the turmeric root extract @ 60 mg mL-1 in vitro significantly (P <0.001) proved paralytic and fatal against worms (16.80±1.28 h). In vivo, chicken groups (G2-G6) were infected with an average of 300±12 embryonated of A. galli. The G2 was not given any treatment while G3 was treated with (@ 200 mg kg-1 body wt.); and Groups 4, 5 and 6 were given turmeric @ 200, 400 and 600 mg kg-1 body wt., respectively. The mean number of worms extracted at the end of the trial in G2 (untreated) was 18.10±2.42, while the G3 treated with piperazine had no worms. Groups 4 and 5 did not show any significant difference compared to G2. However, G6 that had 3.20±1.33 worms was statistically significant. Higher concentrations of turmeric given to infected significantly reduced the length and weight of worms. The study showed that the worm infestation damaged the intestinal villi, and treatment with high concentration of C. longa had healing effects and restored the integrity of intestinal mucosa. The results have demonstrated the ameliorating effect of C. longa turmeric on A. galli infested chickens.

Keywords: Gallus gallus domesticus, Intestinal parasites, , Piperazine, Poultry, Round worms, Turmeric

In poultry, infestation by intestinal nematode being used for cancer prevention, liver protection, (Family. ), leads to premature aging and anti-inflammatory, easing reduced growth rate, weight loss, low production conditions for bursitis, arthritis and back pain13-15. 1-3 and poor general condition of the . At times Turmeric rhizomes are known to contain phyto- they cause serious pathological lesions by puncturing constituents viz. alkaloids, saponins, flavonoids, the mucous membrane of the and result in terpenes and steroids16. Ethanol extract of the inflammation and bleeding4,5. The infective eggs C. longa rhizomes has been shown to have anti- containing the L2 larvae hatch in duodenum of protozoa activity against Entamoebahistolytica, susceptible host and predating period is about Leishmania major and Plasmodinm falciparum17,18. 5-6 weeks6. Drugs used to treat A. galli including This study explores the effects of alcoholic extract of piperazine sulfate compounds, flubendazole and Curcuma longa L. roots against Ascaridia galli , could be harmful if given in incorrect infecting chickens, both in vitro and in vivo. doses7-9. Many plants used throughout the world in traditional medicine for the treatment of both Material and Methods veterinary and human diseases but few plants were Plant material (rhizomes) of Curcuma longa, screened for activity. One of these plant species is purchased from local market, were cut into small C. longa10. Plant extracts as better alternative has been pieces, oven-dried at 45 °C, powdered and macerated gaining significance. Kumer et al. and Abdelqader in 70% ethanol (hydro-alcoholic) 200 g L-1 for 48 h et al. used the roots of reed Acorus calamus and citrus using Soxhlet apparatus. The extract was filtered peels ethanolic extracts respectively against worm using Wartman No. 1 filter, concentrated to dark 11,12 A. galli . Curcumin, a powerful antioxidant, is yellow residue on a rotary evaporator, and stored at 16 ______4 °C in airtight containers . *Correspondence: In vitro experiment—Adult worms of A. galli were E-mail: [email protected] taken out of the gut from infected chickens ALRUBAIE: EFFECTS OF ALCOHOLIC EXTRACT OF CURCUMA LONGA ON ASCARIDIA INFESTATION 453

Gallus gallus domesticus L. and distributed randomly passed in concentrations of alcohol upward xylene and into 5 groups of 7 each (n= 7) in Petri dishes embedded in paraffin wax. The bowels were cut in comprising either control treatments or different thickness of 4 microns by microtome, and sections concentrations of turmeric solution in 0.9% phosphate stained by Haematoxylin and Eosin22. The height and buffered saline (PBS) and maintained at 37±1 °C in width of villi were measured by Motic Images Plus 2.0. an automated glass chambered19. Group 1(G1) had Statistical analysis—Data presented as means ± the phosphate buffered saline (PBS) only; Group 2 had standard error (SE) of the mean. Comparison of 20 mg mL-1 of citrate Piperazine (GlaxoSmithKline, the mean values of different variables was done India). Group 3-5 had turmeric @ 20, 40 and using unpaired Student’s t-test. The level of probability 60 mg mL-1 of turmeric, respectively. considered significant when P <0.05, 0.01 and <0.00123. Production of infective eggs of A. galli—A. galli female worms were collected from the small intestines Results and Discussion of naturally infected 40 chicks by necropsy. The eggs The study demonstrated the nematocidal activity of were recovered from the gravid uteri of worms under Curcuma longa on adult Ascaridia galli, one of the microscope and incubated at ~20 °C in 4% potassium most prevalent nematode parasites found in different . dichromate (K2Cr2O7) solution for 2 wk. When the poultry intestine. A. galli has attracted much attention eggs became infective, they were stored at ~4 °C until as the heavily infected chicken show signs of inoculation20. droopiness, hemorrhages, and intestinal 24 In vivo experiment—Experiments were conducted in mucosal damage affecting weight gain . civil fields, north of the Babylon province In vitro experiment—In vitro experiment using (southern Baghdad) from 2nd January to 4th April in piperazine and different concentrations of alcoholic 2013. Sixty chicks of hens Lohman brown breed were extract of turmeric exhibited their effect against -1 divided into 6 groups (n=10) as follows: Group 1, A. galli (Table 1). The piperazine @ 20 mg mL control non infected; Group 2, infected without made the worms paralytic in 6.06±0.39 h and killed treatment; Group 3, infected+piperazine @ 200 mg kg-1 them by 6.90±0.75 h. It was significant compared to body wt.; Group 4-6, infected+turmeric @ 200, 400 and G1 (PBS) where death occurred at 41.8±1.28 h 600 mg kg-1 body wt., respectively. All birds were fed (t = 46.586, P <0.001). Treatments with turmeric also with starter diet during the first 3 weeks and proved useful. Time taken for paralysis and death of subsequently, a grower diet until the end of the trial. As worms were proportional to the concentrations of part of routine, practice all birds received Newcastle turmeric. The ability of piperazine citrate causing flaccid vaccine. Trial begun on the first day of breeding. At day paralysis of worm muscles by blocking the response to 25-27 one, 0.5 mL volume of tap water containing 300±12 acetylcholine, eventually leads to expulsion of worms . embryonated eggs of A. galli were instilled into the The group (G2) took less time for paralysis and death of esophagus of the chicks groups (2 to 6) using plastic worms when compared with lower concentrations of -1 Pasteur pipette. At 5th week, groups 4-6 were given turmeric groups. The concentration of 60 mg mL of different turmeric concentrations orally with plastic alcoholic extract of turmeric (G5) caused paralysis in blunt end syringe, while group 3 was given piperazine. 16.8±1.28 h and death in 17.85±1.23 h, comparatively Intestinal worms count—At week 12, the chicks faster than the groups 3 and 4. It could be explained that were euthanized, the digestive tracts removed, washed the biologically active substances present in curcumin like alkaloids, flavonoids (diferuloylmethane), saponins, with tap water, opened longitudinally and its contents 16,28 poured on sieve and then washed. The screen steroids, polyphenol, zingiberone and triterpenoids , was checked for presence A. galli using a stereo Table 1—Effects of Curcuma longa extract on Ascaridia galli in vitro microscope. Collected worms were sexed, counted, Conc. Paralysis time Death time Student’s weighed using microbalance (Mettler Toledo) and the Groups (mg mL-1) (h) Mean±SE (h) Mean±SE t-test 21 length measured in centimeters . G1 (PBS) 0 41.84±1.28 To study changes in the intestine of the birds G2 20 (piperazine) 6.06±0.39* 6.90±0.75* 46.586 infested with A. galli, the height and width of G3 20 34.87±0.85* 37.16±0.96* 5.914 G4 40 26.72±0.91* 28.01±1.19* 17.300 intestinal villi were measured. The G5 60 16.80±1.28* 17.85±1.23* 45.264 after above procedure (the intestinal worm count) Number of worms per group (n = 7). Piperazine served as test control. were placed in a solution of formalin neutral 10% then (*) results significantly compared with PBS P <0.001 454 INDIAN J EXP BIOL, JULY 2015

act at higher concentrations. Perez-Arriaga et al reported production32. Curcumin is known for its antiprotozoal similar growth inhibition of Giardia lamblia activity against Trypanosoma brucei, Leishmania trophozoites in vitro with a 30 μM of curcumin up to donovani and Giardia lamblia33-35. Curcumin 72 h and of 100 μM longer than 48 h29. component exhibits strong antioxidant (Bisdemethoxy In vivo experiment—Investigation of chicken groups curcumin) activity about eight times more potent than (G2-G6) infected with A. galli showed various results vitamin E in lipid peroxidation, and three times more revealing the potential of turmeric as better alternative powerful than vitamin C in neutralizing free radicals14. (Table 2). At the end of experiment, the mean number of This study showed that the percentage of female worms worms were 18.10±2.42 in G2 (untreated), while the (Table 2) in all groups ranged between (54.14 to treated group with piperazine (G3) no worms has been 58.92%) which was not statistically significant. while found. There were no significant differences among G2, Gabrashanska et al. and Dehlawi found that males were G4 and G5 groups. However, mean number of worms in more stable than the females36,37. High concentrations of G6, was 3.20±1.33, statistically significant compared to turmeric caused reduction in the weight and length of the untreated. These results showed that higher worms (Table 2). That might be due to presence of concentrations of turmeric (600 mg/kg) in vivo had active substances in turmeric that affect the growth of significant effect on worms which might be due to the worms or cause damage to them as observed by presence of substances in turmeric that acted at higher Lalchhandama in A. galli on administration of the concentration. Earlier works have also shown such Acacia oxyphylla extract25. effects of curcumin against Schistosoma mansoni Histopathology—Effect of the extract on the infected mice30,31. Morais et al. demonstrated that intestinal villi as observed by the height and width are incubation of S. mansoni with concentrations of turmeric shown in Table 3 and Fig. 1. The treated groups affects viability of worms and reduction in eggs (G2-G5) exhibited significant changes compared to Table 2—Effects of Curcuma longa on number, weight and length of Ascaridia galli in vivo Experimental Groups G1 G2 G3 G4 G5 G6 Worms Number 0 8.3±2.10 0 6.9±1.92 7.0±1.61 1.4±0.66* Male worm weight (mg) Mean±SE - 0.041±0.01 - 0.038±0.01 0.034±.01* 0.032±0.01* length (cm) Mean±SE - 4.39±0.58 - 4.10±0.70 3.77±0.66* 3.19±0.53* Number 0 9.8±1.66 0 9.9±1.57 9.5±2.61 1.8±1.16* (54.1%)a (58.90%) (57.6%) (56.3%) Female worm weight (mg) Mean±SE - 0.073±0.01 - 0.072±0.01 0.066±0.01 0.054±0.02* length (cm) Mean±SE - 5.88±1.13 - 5.55±0.76 5.08±0.72 4.83±0.43*

Piperazine served as test control. *Results statistically significant P <0.05. aPercentage of female worm number in each group.

Fig. 1—Photomicrographs of histological section (20X) [H & E] of infected Ascaridia galli. (A) Section of intestinal wall & villi of a healthy (G1); (B, C & D) infected of A. galli but no treatment (G2); (E) treatment with piperzine @ 200 mg/kg body wt. (G3); and (F) turmeric @ 600 mg/kg. ALRUBAIE: EFFECTS OF ALCOHOLIC EXTRACT OF CURCUMA LONGA ON ASCARIDIA INFESTATION 455

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