In-vitro anthelmintic activity and phytochemistry of Salvia sclarea extracts against Haemonchus contortus

Haemonchus contortus –the barber's pole worm poses a critical threat to ruminant health and productivity worldwide. This is due to its high host pathogenicity and poor susceptibility to chemical anthelmintics. To address this threat, sustainable and natural solutions are needed to control its infections. This study evaluated the anthelmintic efficacy of Salvia sclarea extracts against H. contortus in comparison to reference drug – the Albendazole. The extracts were obtained in ethyl acetate, ethanol, and petroleum ether, analyzed phytochemically and subjected to in-vitro testing at different concentrations using the Adult Motility Inhibition Assay (AMIA) and Egg Hatch Inhibition Assay (EHIA). The most effective extract was ethyl acetate in terms of its 100 % worm mortality at all tested concentrations 6 h post treatment and 87.38 % inhibition of egg hatching at 2 mg/mL. The ethyl acetate extract demonstrated the greatest potency, with an LC₅₀ of 0.22 mg/mL, compared to ethanol (LC₅₀ = 0.55 mg/mL) and petroleum ether (LC₅₀ = 3.66 mg/mL), confirming its superior ovicidal efficacy against H. contortus. Terpenoids, coumarins, and phenolics were the main bioactive agents present in the extract. Using complementary GC-MS profiling, prominent anti-parasitic components including Sclareol and Geranylgeraniol were identified. These findings demonstrate potential of S. sclarea as a natural substitute for synthetic anthelmintics; however, in vivo studies are needed to validate the efficacy and safety of the bio-active constituents of S. sclarea against the target parasite in host animals.