The effect of garlic (allium sativum)‎ on rabbits infested with ear mite (psoroptes cuniculi)‎

Abstract EN

The effect of garlic extract (10 % solution) on Psoroptes cuniculi mites ; in-vitro and experimentally infected rabbits was studied in this work.

Thirty six apparently healthy New Zealand white rabbits were divided into six equal groups of six rabbits each.

The first group was served as a negative control.

The rest groups were experimentally infested with Psoroptes cubicula.

Two weeks post infestation (PI), the second group was infested and not-treated (positive control), the third group was treated with two subcutaneous injections of ivermectin (14 days interval).

The fourth group was treated daily with the garlic extract orally for 14 successive days.

The fifth group was treated with the garlic extract topically on the infested ears twice weekly.

The sixth group was treated with the garlic extract orally and topically together.

In-vitro, the garlic extract (10 % solution) showed a good acaricidal effect respect to the untreated controls with 100% mortality of mites after 72 hr.

of contact that resembled ivermectin (1 %).

In vivo, on the 42th day PI, the index scores of infested rabbits and treated with garlic extract (orally and topically together) was not significantly changed when compared with ivermictin-treated.

While the body weight and cumulative body gain of rabbits treated with garlic extract (orally and topically together) were increased and improved when compared with those treated with either garlic extract (topically) or ivermictin.

The serum AST, cretonne and cholesterol lev-els in rabbits treated with garlic extract (orally and topically together) were decreased while the total protein and globulin were increased when compared with ivermectin-treated rabbits.

However the serum ALT and albumin levels were not significantly changed.

It could be concluded that the natural garlic extract was an efficient, cheap and safe alternative therapy for treatment of rabbit's ear mange.

Topical application of garlic extract (10 % solution) concomitant with its oral administration would be an effective method to control the ear mites of rabbits (Psoroptes cubicula) for producers who market their meat as organic or pesticide-free.