New research validates traditional healers' claims over parasite infections in Ethiopia

New research from SRUC has validated claims of traditional healers in Ethiopia that indigenous plants have strong anti-parasitic properties.

Many small-holder farmers and nomadic livestock keepers in developing countries continue to rely on their indigenous knowledge, practices and locally available plants to control both human and livestock parasitic infections.

However, this valuable source of knowledge is not adequately documented, which impedes their widespread use, evaluation and validation.

SRUC has a long standing interest in plant-based parasite control, and for a number of years, has been collaborating with researchers from Hawassa University in Ethiopia to underpin ethno-medicinal knowledge on anti-parasitic plants with scientific evidence under the Combating Infectious Diseases of Livestock for International Development initiative.

The project - with additional support through SRUC's International Engagement Strategy - provided Ketema Tolossa, an MSc Pharmaceutical Chemistry graduate from Addis Ababa University, the opportunity to undertake a successful PhD study on the anti-parasitic claims for two specific indigenous plants.

Under the supervision of Professor Houdijk and Professor Steven Fry of the Institute of Molecular Plant Sciences at University of Edinburgh, Ketema undertook a series of lab-based and aminal studies in Edinburgh with extracts from the two plants he had collected during field trips to Ethiopia's remote Hamer and Sololo Districts.   The names of the two plants are Adenia sp. and Cissus ruspolii.

Ketema observed through a large series of laboratory tests that depending on the extract type and concentration used, plant extracts may completely prevent worm eggs from hatching.  He was also able to demonstrate active compounds in these extracts, and that in initial animal trials such extracts reduced worm burdens by around 60%.

Source:  SRUC