Moringa oleifera as a Natural Alternative for the Control of Gastroint
Abstract
Studies have shown a wide variety of parasites that infect horses, causing major gastrointestinal damage that can lead to death, and although the main method of control has been synthetic anthelmintics, there are parasites that have developed resistance to these drugs. For generations, plants have been used throughout the world as a cure or treatment for countless diseases and their symptoms, as is the case of Moringa oleifera, a plant native to the western region. In all its organs, mainly in leaves, M. oleifera presents a diversity of bioactive compounds, including flavonoids, tannins,
phenolic acids, saponins, and vitamins, which provide antioxidant power to the plant. The
compounds with the greatest antiparasitic activity are tannins and saponins, and they affect both the larvae and the oocytes of various equine gastrointestinal parasites. Therefore, M. oleifera is a promising source for the natural control of gastrointestinal parasites in horses.
Conclusions
Given the need to generate an alternative for the control of gastrointestinal parasites
that are presenting resistance to synthetic drugs in horses, Moringa oleifera represents an alternative that is not only natural, but also ecological for the control of these parasites. The main benefit of this plant is found in its leaves, which is the bioactive compounds that it presents, both in the region where it is native and, in the places where it is cultivated. These compounds have demonstrated antiparasitic activity, and the main ones are flavonoids, phenolic acids, tannins, vitamins, and saponins. In addition, this plant is capable of adapting to a wide variety of edaphoclimatic conditions, even adverse conditions, which gives it an advantage over those plants that have antiparasitic activity but do not adapt to any region. Therefore, M. oleifera can be considered as a source of bioactive compounds for the generation of new drugs of natural origin for the control of gastrointestinal parasites in horses, and it can be cultivated in different regions for industrialization purposes. However, research is required to validate and understand its mechanism of action, with the aim of a safer and more correct application in animals.
To view full study: