EP1778257A1 - The use of medicinal plants and extracts thereof for the well-being of animals in veterinary medicine and zootechnics - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to the use of the aerial parts of plants of the Portulaca genus and extracts thereof, in particular Portulaca oleracea, for the preparation of growth promoters for use in livestock.

Description

THE USE OF MEDICINAL PLANTS AND EXTRACTS THEREOF FOR THE WELL BEING OF ANIMALS IN VETERINARY MEDICINE AND ZOOTECHNICS

The present invention relates to the use of extracts of aerial parts of plants of the Portulaca genus, in particular Portulaca oleracea, for the preparation of growth promoters for use in livestock.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND Bacterial antibiotic resistance is an increasing problem which affects public health, including the veterinary field.

The use in veterinary medicine of antibiotics that are mostly the same as or strictly related to those used in human medicine, and the established practice of use of antibiotics at sub-therapeutical doses as growth promoters and mass metaphylactic agents, are the main causes of diffusion of acquired antibiotic resistance by a number of bacterial species responsible for pathologies in domestic animals and often even in -humans. The presence of antibiotic residues in meat and, indirectly, the selection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which can transfer the resistance genes to bacteria pathogenic to humans, can be a hazard to human health.

Approximately 25% of the total antibiotic production is intended for use in livestock, the 90% of them being used at sub-therapeutical doses for both the prevention of diseases and the promotion of growth. Antimicrobials have been added to feed and extensively used in zootechnics since the '50s to improve productive performances. In swine breeding, for instance, weaning of piglets is the most delicate step, as the distressing events related to the transfer and mixing of different groups of animals and the changes of feed induce alterations in the intestinal microbial flora of the animal, making it more susceptible to infections. The use of antibiotics in the prophylaxis of endemic diseases occurring during weaning has lead to a generalized use of antibiotics which are included in feed for times which can be protracted until the animal is even 70-80 day old.

As a consequence of antibiotic-resistance emergency, the European Union has followed a restricted approach concerning the use of antibiotics as growth promoters, antimicrobial prophylaxis, multi-therapies, mass medication through feed and water. In particular, EU is withdrawing all authorizations concerning the use of antibiotics as growth promoters by 2006.

However, the prohibition of use of antibiotics as growth promoters and prophylactic agents will involve a deterioration of animals health, with an increase in diarrhoea, weight loss and mortality.

Different approaches exist for reducing the dependency of zootechnics, more particularly swine breeding, on the use of antibiotics: the choice one is the development of alternatives acting through the control of bacteria and promoting the natural reactivity of the animal, thereby inducing an improvement in health as well as the optimization of performances. Mandatory characteristics for such alternative solutions are safety of use and cheapness for producers, and hence for consumers.

Portulaca is a annual herbaceous plant present in all temperate and warm regions.

Aerial parts of plants of the Portulaca genus have been used for a long time, as they are or in the form of aqueous or water-ethanol extracts, in Chinese traditional medicine for arresting hemorrage of various origin (hemorrhoids, uterus), and for the treatment of sores, eczema, snake or insect bites. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It has now been found that the administration of parts of plants, particularly the ground aerial parts or the extracts of the aerial parts of plants of the Portulaca genus, in particular Portulaca oleracea, to livestock, is at least as much as active as the administration of growth-promoting antibiotics.

Therefore, the present invention relates to compositions for the veterinary or zootechnical use, comprising as active ingredients aerial parts ground or extracts of aerial parts of Portulaca, preferably Portulaca oleracea, admixed with suitable carriers or in the form of feed supplements.

Said compositions proved capable of promoting growth in livestock, in particular swine, bovine, ovine and equine, more particularly swine, without inducing the drawbacks and side effects of growth-promoting antibiotics. Dosages will depend on a number of factors, such as species, size, weight and age of the animal. In principle, a typical dosage will range from 0.1 g to 1O g of extract/aerial parts per animal/day.

The extracts usable according to the invention can be prepared by a process which comprises the repeated extraction of Portulaca oleracea aerial parts with a solvent, of preferably at room temperature. The solvent used for the extraction preferably consists of a hydro-alcoholic ethanol/water 1 : 1 mixture.

The resulting extracts are combined and concentrated under reduced pressure.

The following examples illustrate the invention in further detail.

EXAMPLE 1: Portulaca oleracea aerial parts extract for the zootechnical use

Preparation of the extract

1000 g of dry ground aerial parts of Portulaca oleracea are placed in percolator. The material is covered with a mixture ethanol/water mixture 1 : 1 v/v and left at RT for 3 hours. The solvent is then percolated and the material is covered with a further portion of ethanol/water mixture 1 : 1 v/v. The procedure is repeated 6 times using about 7700 ml of solvent totally. The 6 percolates are filtered, combined and concentrated under reduced pressure, thereby obtaining a dark hygroscopic grindable solid (241 g; yield 24.1% w/w). EXAMPLE 2: In vivo test

Experiments were carried out on 120 piglets divided into 4 groups of 30 animals each.

Group 1 (control) was treated with standard feed free from additives. Group 2 (antibiotic) was treated with medicated feed containing 2 g of apramycin and 1 g of colistin per kg of feed. Group 3 was treated with standard feed added with 2 g/Kg of Portulaca extract. Group 4 was treated with standard feed added with 5 g/kg of finely ground Portulaca aerial parts.

All animals were treated during weaning from day 22 to day 41. The animal well being was evaluated by the total weight increase, the feed daily intake and the percentage of diarrhoeic animals. Moreover, from day 41, faeces samples were microbiologically analysed for bacterial counts of total mesophyte charge, total Coliform and Lactobacilli. All parameters were evaluated with standard methods known to those skilled in the art. Results reported in the following Tables prove that the addition to standard feed of Portulaca in the form of both finely ground aerial parts and water-ethanol extract, although being devoid of per se in vitro antibacterial activity, can be a valuable replacement for antibiotic growth promoters in weaning foodstock. Table 1. Piglets weights and Mean Weight Increase (MWI) on day 41.

Table 2. Mean daily intake: amount of feed daily intake, expressed in kg, between days 22 and 41 of treatment.

Table 3. Effect of treatment on diarrhoea onset in the various treated groups.

Table 4. Effect of administration of the tested substances on different bacterial populations (log Ufc/g) from faeces samples taken on day 41.

Claims

1. The use of parts or extracts of plants of the Portulaca genus for the preparation of growth promoters for feedstock.

2. The use as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plant of the Portulaca genus is Portulaca oleracea.

3. The use as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the parts of Portulaca are the aerial parts.

4. The use as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which the extract is a aerial parts hydro-alcoholic extract.

5. Veterinary or zootechnical compositions comprising parts or extracts of plants of the Portulaca genus in admixture with suitable carriers.

6. Compositions as claimed in claim 5 comprising aerial parts or extracts idro-alcholic of the aerial parts of Portulaca oleracea.

7. Feed added with aerial parts or aerial parts extracts of plants of the Portulaca genus, in particular Portulaca oleracea.