Analyzing <italic>Morinda citrifolia’s</italic> Potential for <italic>Haemonchus contortus</italic> Control in Lambs Using an Artificial Immune/Neural Approach
Sheep farming faces significant health challenges, particularly from gastrointestinal nematodes like Haemonchus contortus, which can severely impact animal health. In response, there is growing interest in herbal medicines derived from medicinal plants as alternative solutions for parasite control. This approach offers multiple benefits, including local availability, reduced risk of anthelmintic resistance, decreased dependency on synthetic chemical treatments, and improved shelf life. Among the promising alternatives, Morinda citrifolia has shown potential for effective nematode control. This study evaluates the anthelmintic efficacy of the hydroalcoholic crude extract (EHMC) of Morinda citrifolia using a clustering approach based on an Artificial Immune/Neural System to determine the optimal dosage. The findings reveal that the EHMC of Morinda citrifolia inhibits the hatching of Haemonchus contortus eggs, increases the mortality of adult nematodes, and demonstrates anthelmintic activity in lambs without causing adverse effects on animal health or negatively impacting meat quality. This suggests that Morinda citrifolia extract is a promising natural alternative for controlling parasitic infections in sheep.
