title: Melaleuca alternifolia anthelmintic activity in gerbils experimentally infected by Haemonchus contortus.
abstract: Gastrointestinal parasites are one of the biggest health problems faced in sheep, mainly due to their pathogenicity and resistance to drugs used to control these parasites. Thus, the following study aimed to assess the anthelmintic efficacy of Melaleuca alternifolia against Haemonchus contortus in gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus) experimentally infected. Three treatments were tested: M. alternifolia essential oil, popularly known as tea tree oil (TTO), a solid lipid nanocarrier made with essential oil of Melaleuca (nanoTTO), and terpinen-4-ol (terp-4-ol). In vivo studies were performed by determining the mean worm burden of H. contortus in gerbils TTO (0.75 mL/kg); nanoTTO (0.5 mL/kg) and terp-4-ol (0.5 mL l/kg) were able to reduce 46.36%; 48.64%, and 43.18% worm burden, respectively. H. contortus increased alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels, as demonstrated by liver injury. It was found that the TTO, nanoTTO, and terp-4-ol were not toxic to liver and kidneys since hepatic and renal functions were not affected. Moreover, terp-4-ol was able to prevent increased levels of seric AST and ALT in infected animals, indicating a hepatoprotective effect. Thus, our results indicate that TTO, nanoTTO, and terp-4-ol are safe and efficient against H. contortus infection in gerbils, and possibly the terp-4-ol may be considered the compound present in the Melaleuca alternifolia responsible for parasitic action against H. contortus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Universidade Federal Santa Maria - UFSM, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Electronic address: thirssa_thi@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Thirssa H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Grando
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Universidade Federal Santa Maria - UFSM, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Matheus D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Baldissera
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Universidade Federal Santa Maria - UFSM, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lucas T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Gressler
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Universidade Federal Santa Maria - UFSM, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariângela Facco
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: de Sá
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Universidade Federal Santa Maria - UFSM, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Bruna N
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Bortoluzzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Universidade Federal Santa Maria - UFSM, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andressa S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Schafer
authors.affiliation: Department of Large Animals, Universidade Federal Santa Maria - UFSM, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rafael C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Ebling
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Centro Universitário Franciscano - UNIFRA, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renata P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Raffin
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Universidade Federal Santa Maria - UFSM, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Department of Microbiology, Centro Universitário Franciscano - UNIFRA, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Roberto C V
authors.initials: RCV
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (UDESC), Chapecó, SC, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lenita M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Stefani
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Centro Universitário Franciscano - UNIFRA, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vaucher
authors.affiliation: Department of Large Animals, Universidade Federal Santa Maria - UFSM, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marta L R
authors.initials: MLR
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Universidade Federal Santa Maria - UFSM, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Electronic address: sgmonteiro@uol.com.br.
authors.forename: Silvia G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Monteiro
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D005849:Gerbillinae; D006188:Haemonchiasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006189:Haemonchus / Q000187:drug effects*; D008055:Lipids; D008297:Male; D031650:Melaleuca / Q000737:chemistry*; D053769:Nanocapsules; D011897:Random Allocation; D020947:Tea Tree Oil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013729:Terpenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D008055:Lipids; D053769:Nanocapsules; D013729:Terpenes; C034019:terpinenol-4; D020947:Tea Tree Oil; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase
keywords: Antiparasitic; Gerbil; H. contortus; Melaleuca essential oil; Phytotherapy