Aqueous extracts of Moringa oleifera and Carica papaya moderately reduce gastrointestinal helminth burden in sheep under field conditions in Ghana

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Introduction Gastrointestinal helminth infections remain a major constraint to small ruminant production in tropical regions, and increasing reports of reduced anthelmintic efficacy are raising concerns for sustainable parasite control. This study evaluated the in vivo anthelmintic activity of aqueous extracts of Moringa oleifera leaves and Carica papaya seeds in sheep naturally infected under field conditions in Ghana. Methods Thirty-three sheep were randomly assigned to four groups: Moringa oleifera extract (100 mg/mL), Carica papaya extract (100 mg/mL), albendazole (10%), and untreated control. Plant extracts were administered orally at 10 mL/kg body weight on Day 0, and faecal egg counts (FEC) were determined on Days 0, 5, 10, and 30 using the McMaster technique. Anthelmintic efficacy was assessed using the faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT). Results At Day 30, M. oleifera achieved a 54.50% reduction in strongyle-type nematode egg counts, while C. papaya produced a 68.25% reduction. Albendazole showed lower efficacy (60.51%), whereas egg counts increased in the untreated control group. C. papaya achieved 95% of the benchmark of the World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology on Day 30 against Moniezia spp. Although the interpretation is limited by the small sample size. No statistically significant differences were detected among treatment groups ( p > 0.05). Sheep treated with M. oleifera showed the greatest numerical weight gain over the study period. Discussion These findings indicate that aqueous extracts of M. oleifera and C. papaya exert moderate anthelmintic effects under field conditions but do not meet efficacy thresholds for standalone use. The reduced response to albendazole suggests possible resistance under local management conditions. Plant-based treatments may therefore serve as complementary tools within integrated parasite control strategies. Further studies incorporating larger sample sizes, standardized extraction protocols (including plant-to-solvent ratio, extraction time, extract concentration, and dosing regimen), and comprehensive phytochemical characterization (quantification of tannins, flavonoids, alkaloids, saponins, total phenolics, and proteolytic enzymes) are required to improve reproducibility and identify the compounds associated with anthelmintic activity.

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