Efficacy of Aloe Vera and Curcuma Longa in managing Porcine Staphylococcal Infections

  • Joshua Ngwisha University of Zambia, School of Veterinary Medicine
  • Mulemba Samutela University of Zambia, School of Health Sciences, Biomedical Sciences Department
  • Bernard Mudenda Hangómbe Copperbelt University
  • Kennedy Choongo Biomedical Sciences Department, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia
Keywords: Aloe vera, Antimicrobial Resistance, Curcuma longa, Ethnoveterinary medicine, pigs, Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract

Introduction: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a global public health threat, impacting the livestock sector. In Southern Africa, alternative ethno-remedies for AMR in pigs are under-researched. This study evaluated the efficacy of Aloe vera and Curcuma longa in managing Staphylococcus aureus infections in pigs. Materials and Methods: Herbs were collected following a non-participatory rapid appraisal from Luanshya and Lusaka Districts of Zambia, while S. aureus was sourced from porcine nasal swabs. Crude extracts were prepared using ethanol, ethyl acetate, and aqueous solvents. The agar dilution method assessed the efficacy of three groups: Aloe vera, Curcuma longa, and a combination (5:1). Cephalexin, neomycin, and kanamycin served as positive controls, while DMSO was the negative control. Results: Curcuma longa showed the highest susceptibility (S=75%, I=25%), followed by Aloe vera (S=56%, I=19%, R=25%). The combined formulation yielded S=48%, I=26%, R=26%. The positive control produced S=63%, R=37%, and the negative control had R=100%. Conclusion: Curcuma longa and Aloe vera exhibit potential in managing porcine upper respiratory tract infections caused by S. aureus in Zambia. These findings warrant further safety and clinical tests to validate their use, determine minimum inhibitory concentrations, and establish appropriate dosages for effective application.

Author Biographies

Mulemba Samutela, University of Zambia, School of Health Sciences, Biomedical Sciences Department
Lecturer, Biomedical Sciences Department, School of Health Sciences, University of Zambia
Bernard Mudenda Hangómbe, Copperbelt University
Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Research and Innovation, Copperbelt University Microbiology Professor, Paraclinical Studies Department, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia
Kennedy Choongo, Biomedical Sciences Department, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia
Emeritus Professor of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Biomedical Sciences Department, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zambia
Published
2024-11-15
How to Cite
1.
Ngwisha J, Samutela M, Hangómbe B, Choongo K. Efficacy of Aloe Vera and Curcuma Longa in managing Porcine Staphylococcal Infections. Journal of Agricultural and Biomedical Sciences [Internet]. 15Nov.2024 [cited 9Jan.2025];8(1). Available from: https://nscme.unza.zm/index.php/JABS/article/view/1233
Section
Biomedical Sciences