OBSERVATIONS ON THE TREATMENT OF NATURAL HAEMOSPORIDIA INFECTIONS BY TOTAL ALKALOID OF PEGANUM-HARMALA L. IN CATTLE

Eighty two cattle naturally infected with haemosporidians were treated with total alkaloid hydrochlorine of Peganum harmale L. (0.5 mg/kg/da y). Fifty eight cases with Theileria sergenti showed a cure rate of 86 %; thirteen cases with Theileria annulata showed a cure rate of 85%; e ight cattle infected with Babesia bigemina showed a cure rate of 88% a nd three cases of Anaplasma marginale were completely cured. The resul ts suggested that the curative effect of total alkaloid of P. harmale was better than that of diminazene aceturate and produced minimal side effects. The alkaloid could also be administered to pregnant animals. It was concluded that the total alkaloid of P. harmale showed a marke d effect as a treatment for haemosporidican infections in cattle.