Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Scotland's Rural College, Easter Bush, Roslin, EH25 9RG, UK.
Department of Biotechnology and Nanomedicine, SINTEF, 7465, Trondheim, Norway.
Sci Rep. 2023 Aug 18;13(1):13498. doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-38476-0.
The antiparasitic potential of plants could offer a vital solution to alleviating the costs of gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infections in ruminant production globally. Leveraging known bioactive molecules, however, is complex, where plant species, extraction processes and seasonality impact bioavailability and efficacy. This study assessed the impact of a comprehensive set of factors on the antiparasitic activity of Norwegian conifers to identify bark compounds specific against GIN. Antiparasitic activity was determined using in vitro assays targeting morphologically distinct life stages of ovine GIN: the egg hatch assay and larval motility assay. In depth characterisation of the chemical composition of the bark extracts was carried out using chromatographic separation, UV-absorbance, and molecular mass profiles to identify compounds implicated in the activity. Three key findings emerged: (1) the activity of bark extracts varied markedly from 0 to 100% antiparasitic efficacy, owing to tree species, extraction solvent and seasonality; (2) the GIN exhibited species-and stage-specific susceptibility to the bark extracts; (3) the presence of condensed tannins, amongst other compounds, was associated with anthelmintic activity. These findings add new insights into urgently needed alternative parasite control strategies in livestock.
植物的抗寄生虫特性为缓解全球反刍动物生产中胃肠道线虫 (GIN) 感染的成本提供了重要的解决方案。然而，利用已知的生物活性分子是复杂的，其中植物物种、提取过程和季节性会影响生物利用度和功效。本研究评估了一系列因素对挪威针叶树抗寄生虫活性的影响，以确定针对 GIN 的特异性树皮化合物。使用针对绵羊 GIN 形态独特生命阶段的体外检测方法（卵孵化检测法和幼虫运动检测法）来确定抗寄生虫活性。通过色谱分离、紫外吸收和分子量谱对树皮提取物的化学成分进行了深入表征，以鉴定与活性相关的化合物。研究结果表明：(1) 由于树种、提取溶剂和季节性的不同，树皮提取物的活性差异显著，从 0%到 100%的抗寄生虫效果；(2) GIN 对树皮提取物表现出物种和阶段特异性的敏感性；(3) 存在缩合单宁等化合物与驱虫活性相关。这些发现为家畜中急需的替代寄生虫控制策略提供了新的见解。
