Chemical constituents of Calotropis procera latex and ultrastructural effects on Haemonchus contortus

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the anthelmintic and ultrastructural effects of Calotropis procera latex on Haemonchus contortus. C. procera latex was twice centrifuged at 10,000×g and dialyzed to obtain a fraction rich in proteins, named LP (latex protein), and at 3,000 rpm to obtain a fraction rich in secondary metabolites, named LNP (latex non-protein). Specimens of H. contortus exposed to LNP, LP and PBS in the Adult Worm Motility Test (AWMT) were submitted to scanning (SEM) and transmission (TEM) electron microscopy to verify changes in their ultrastructure. Phytochemical tests in the LNP indicated the presence of phenols, steroids, alkaloids and cardenolides. High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) characterized the presence of the compounds gallic acid and quercetin in the LNP. The protein content in the LP was 43.1 ± 1.1 mg/mL and 7.7 ± 0.3 mg/mL in LNP. In AWMT, LNP and LP inhibited the motility of 100% of the nematodes, with LNP being more effective than LP and ivermectin more effective than both (p <0.05). Cuticle changes were observed by SEM and TEM in nematodes treated with LP and LNP. Calotropis procera latex has anthelmintic effects against H. contortus, causing damage to its cuticle and other alterations in its ultrastructure.

Impact of Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) Pellets on Parasitological Status, Antibody Responses, and Antioxidant Parameters in Lambs Infected with Haemonchus contortus

“…SEM recently became a tool to demonstrate the possible anthelmintic effects of nutraceutical plants in multiple studies [ 47 , 48 , 49 ]. Studies on ultrastructural changes have mostly been conducted under in vitro conditions with various plants.…”

“…Only one more pronounced cuticular damage ( Figure 3 (S1)) was observed in worms from the SFP group, but the sample size was too small for confirming the overall effect. Cuticular wrinkling has been reported in the majority of studies of ultrastructural changes [ 48 , 49 , 54 , 55 ]. Aggregates near the buccal capsule, vulva, and anus have been described as a change in treated worms [ 53 ], but we also found these traits in the control group.…”

An Overview of the Characteristics and Potential of Calotropis procera From Botanical, Ecological, and Economic Perspectives

“…Crude latex also possessed antioxidant and antiapoptotic activities against the toxicity of 4-Nonylphenol (Sayed et al, 2016). It has shown anthelmintic effects against Haemonchus contortus by damaging its cuticle and causing ultrastructural changes (Cavalcante et al, 2020). Latex of C. procera is also a promising phytotherapeutic option for treating inflammatory conditions of the colon (Kumar et al, 2019).…”

Látex de plantas da família Apocynaceae: Uma revisão

“…Os constituintes químicos do látex de C. procera têm demonstrado efeitos anti-helmínticos contra Haemachus contortus Rodolphi (1803), um nematoide parasita de ruminantes. Duas frações do látex de C. procera, uma fração não contendo proteínas (LNP) e outra fração rica em proteínas (LP) foram testadas in vitro contra Haemachus contortus, obteve-se que ambas as frações foram responsáveis por afetarem a cutícula dos nematoides, a investigação feita no estudo revelou os seguintes compostos: fenóis, esteroides, alcalóides e glicosídeos cardíacos, e a análise na cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência (HPLC), identificou com a presença de ácido gálico e quercetina (Cavalcante et al, 2020). Sabe-se que o látex de C. procera é rico em esteróis, tais como: urs-19( 29)-em-3-il acetato, ß-sitosterol, estigmasterol, multiflorenol, urs-19( 29)-em-3-ßol, 3ß,27-dihidroxi-urs-18-em-13,28-olide (Chundattu et al, 2016).…”