EFFECT OF PAPAYA LATEX AGAINST ASCARIS-SUUM IN NATURALLY INFECTED-PIGS

An experiment was carried out to investigate the anthelmintic activity of papaya latex (Carica papaya) against natural infection of Ascaris suum in pigs. Sixteen naturally infected pigs were, on the basis of fa ecal egg counts and body weight, allocated into four groups, each of f our pigs. Three groups (groups B, C, and D) were given papaya latex pe r os at dose levels of 2, 4, and 8 g of papaya latex per kg body weigh t, respectively. The fourth group (group A) served as a non-treated co ntrol. Results of post mortem counts on day 7 post treatment revealed worm count reductions of 39.5, 80.1 and 100% in groups B, C, and D, re spectively. Some of the pigs receiving the highest dose of the latex s howed mild diarrhoea on the day following treatment. Otherwise, no cli nical or pathological changes were observed in the treated animals. Th e possible future use of this traditional herbal medicine for livestoc k and humans is discussed.