Development and evaluation of a herbal anti-tick grease using Cissus quadrangularis terpenes and terpenoids as active compounds for controlling ticks on live stock.

Ticks and tick borne diseases are on the rise. This is leading to diseases of economic importance in animals such that farmer`s budgetary allocation is constrained. Recently, interventions involving the use of plant based anti-tick products has shown promising results. Hence, in the present study, a tick grease was developed and evaluated utilising terpenes and terpenoids from Cissus quadrangularis as principal active components. Terpene and terpenoid rich extracts were isolated using a normal phase silica gel packed column and active fraction determined using repellence and knockdown effect. Ethyl acetate was used to extract the terpenes and terpenoids from dried Cissus quadrangularis stems. The chemical composition of the active fraction was evaluated using GC-MS. The formulated tick grease was evaluated under both laboratory and field studies. Out of the six column isolated fractions only 2, eluted with hexane: ethyl acetate ratio: 8:2 (100 mL), and 7:3 (100 mL), showed significant acaricidal activity with a percentage knockdown effect of 100 and 75% respectively. The GC-MS analysis of the combine two fractions showed that, they consisted of various monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. Copaene (14.56%), α-ocimene (42.23%), murolene (16.98%) and caryophyllene oxide (11.89%) were found to be the major occurring compounds in the fraction. The tick grease formulated with the monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes rich fraction showed significant acaricidal activity when compared to commercial acaricide, armitraz purchased from local veterinary shops. The tick grease showed percent repellence of 100% as compared to 75% for the commercial acaricide. Under field studies, by topical application on cows the tick grease knocked down all ticks including Rhipicephalus appendiculatus and Amblyomma variegatum species which were resistant to the commercial acaricide. It also showed good protective effect over the 5 day period selected for the study on non-tick infested cows. Thus our study prove the potential of using terpenes and terpenoids from Cissus quadrangularis as active compounds in formulating a tick grease.