bark extract reduces the impact of infection on C57BL/6 but not on BALB/c mice ().

Plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) may improve gastrointestinal health by exerting immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory and/or antiparasitic effects. Bark extracts from coniferous tree species have previously been shown to reduce the burden of a range of parasite species in the gastrointestinal tract, with condensed tannins as the potential active compounds. In the present study, the impact of an acetone extract of pine bark () on the resistance, performance and tolerance of genetically diverse mice () was assessed.

Comparative analysis of the anthelmintic efficacy of European heather extracts on Teladorsagia circumcincta and Trichostrongylus colubriformis egg hatching and larval motility.

Background: Gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) control is traditionally achieved with the use of anthelmintic drugs, however due to regulations in organic farming and the rise in anthelmintic resistance, alternatives are sought after. A promising alternative is the use of bioactive plant feeding due to the presence of plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) such as proanthocyanidins (PAs). This study focussed on the perennial shrub heather (Ericaceae family), a plant rich in PAs, highly abundant across Europe and with previously demonstrated anthelmintic potential.

Heather (Calluna vulgaris) supplementation does not reduce trapping ability of Duddingtonia flagrans in faeces of Haemonchus contortus infected lambs.

Infection with gastro-intestinal nematodes (GIN) seriously impairs productivity and health of grazing animals. Due to the considerable rise in anthelmintic resistance and the increasing popularity of organic farming, alternative control strategies will replace or complement traditional anthelmintics. The efficacy of two potential alternatives (i) feeding the tanniferous forage heather (Calluna vulgaris) and (ii) the nematophagous fungus Duddingtonia flagrans (isolate FiBL-DF-P14), was tested in a feeding experiment with lambs artificially infected with Haemonchus contortus.