In Vitro Comparative Evaluation of Cefalexin and the Phytotherapy Medicines Calendula Officinalis, Uncaria Tomentosa, Rosmarinus Officinalis and Anacardium Occidentale in the Treatment of Mastitis in Cattle

Abstract

Bovine mastitis has a high prevalence in dairy herds, and its allopathic treatment, despite being effective when effectively carried out, culminates in microbial resistance, as well as causing financial losses, possible cellular and teat microbiota changes, as well as a risk to the health of the animal. animal. When used in inadequate doses, it can cause animal poisoning, resistance to the medicine, and, if the withdrawal period is not respected, antibiotic residues can be ingested in the milk, which poses a threat to human health. In an attempt to find an alternative therapeutic methodology, this project sought to evaluate the in vitro activity of four herbal medicines with antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant potential: Calendula Officinalis (calendula), Anacardium occidentale (``cajuzinho-docerrado``), Uncaria Tomentosa (nail cat) and Rosmarinus Officinalis (rosemary), compared with the action of a first-generation cephalosporin, cephalexin, whose use is wide and indiscriminate on dairy farms. The secondary metabolites of these plants, such as tannins, saponins and flavonoids, are some of the compounds capable of, individually or in synergy, promoting medicinal effects, providing an associative alternative for reducing the use of allopathic medicines. The project was separated into two stages, first evaluating the action of the four herbal medicines against the selected allopathic medicine, obtaining relevant antimicrobial results regarding C. officinalis and A. occidentale. The second stage, in turn, tested these plants separately and in combination, comparing the three extracts with cephalexin. The result obtained showed an inhibitory effect for A. occidentale, when compared to the antibiotic, which showed an attenuating effect, which confirmed bacterial resistance to this allopathic agent and the antimicrobial potential of the plant.