Anthelmintic effects of Areca catechu L. (Arecaceae) and Piper betle L. (Piperaceae) combination on adult Haemonchus spp.: a scanning electron microscopy study.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro anthelmintic effects of methanolic extracts from Areca catechu seeds and Piper betle leaves and their combined mixture against adult Haemonchus spp. Phytochemical analysis of the extracts was performed to identify the constituent compounds. Adult worm motility was evaluated along with inhibition percentages at varying concentrations and time points and subsequently compared to controls. The ultrastructural changes were examined via scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Statistical significance was determined at p < 0.05, and the median effective concentration (EC₅₀) values were determined.

Results: The combined methanolic extracts of A. catechu and P. betle at 5% concentration significantly inhibited the motility of adult female and male Haemonchus within 15 min in vitro. The analysis revealed 58 phytochemicals, including hydroxychavicol (45.66%), eugenol (13.66%), allylpyrocatechol diacetate (8.13%), acetyleugenol (6.16%), isoeugenyl acetate (5.45%), γ-muurolene (3.03%), and arecoline (2.73%) as the major components in combined extract. These herbal extracts affect the anthelmintic vitality, evidently through inducing the cuticular damage and leakage of biological substances through cuticular fissures by SEM.

Conclusions: The study results indicate that the methanolic extracts possess significant ability to inhibit the nematode motility and the morphological destruction caused the leakage of internal substances from circular furrows between the cuticular annuli. The cuticular damage along the entire body after the plant exposure, likely contributed to worm mortality. Taken together, these herbal effects warrant further investigation for controlling gastrointestinal nematode infections in livestock.