Therapeutic Evaluation of Buparvaquone and Peganum harmala against Theileriosis in Cattle

Abstract Theileriosis is a common tickborne haemoprotozoan disease of dairy cattle in India and the World. Currently, buparvaquone is the only drug used for the treatment and prevention of theileriosis. However, recent reports of buparvaquone resistance in several endemic regions. This study aimed to evaluate clinical, hematological and biochemical alterations in Theileriosis affected cattle and compare the efficacy of Peganum harmala and P. harmala along with Oxytetracycline with Buparvaquone. Out of 61 cattle screened 21 found positive for Theileriosis. 18 positive cases were randomly divided into three groups (n = 6). Group I treated with Buparvaquone @ 2.5mg/kg body weight, Group II treated with P. harmala @ 7 mg/kg body weight and Group III treated with P. harmala @ 7mg/kg body weight along with Oxytetracycline @ 20mg/kg body weight. All the affected cattle treated with specific and supportive therapy and B – complex were given for 3 days. Group I, II and III showed significant improvement in Physiological Parameters (heart rate, rectal temperature and respiratory rate), Haemato-biochemical Parameters (total erythrocyte count, packed cell volume, absolute neutrophil, absolute monocyte, total protein globulin, ALT, AST, BUN and creatinine) In group I all the cattle were recovered and there was no parasitemia observed at 14th day of post treatment. Hence, the buparvaquone showed 100% efficacy against Theileria parasite. The efficacy of group II was 66.66%. However, group III cattle showed 83.33% as compared to group I. Based on present study it can be concluded that P. harmala can be used as alternative medicine against Theileriosis