In vivo Studies of Antivival Effect of Tetrapleura tetraptera Extracts on Newcastle Disease Virus

Newcastle disease (ND) is an economically important disease of poultry. Vaccination had been the only way of prevention in Nigeria and indeed many countries of the world. Possible therapy is presently lacking. Drugs developed from medicinal chemistry, plant natural products constitute major sources of innovative therapeutic agents for various infectious diseases. Here we studied the in-vivo antiviral effect of Tetrapleura tetraptera (Tt) pods on ND virus in Birds. The aim of this study is to test the ability of this plant to prevent death in Birds. The study employed one (1) phase experimental design. Two concentrations of Tt extract (1.0%, 0.1%) and control were used for treatment in phase 1. All test birds were treated at pre-exposition prophylaxis, at time of prophylaxis after exposure and beginning of clinical signs. Clinical signs of greenish diarrhea, dyspnea, increase in temperature and paralysis were observed. All birds (100%) died, while mortality in treated birds was slightly delayed. There was 20% more lesion in untreated group than in treated groups at post-mortem. There was necrosis of intestinal mucosa and depletion of lymphocytes in the treated group while there was erosion of trachea, duodenum and mononuclear infiltration of muscle fiber in the untreated group. There was 14.3% mortality on the second day post-infection, followed by 71.4% and 14.3% mortality on the 6th and 9th day in treated birds that were infected directly in phase 1. Treatment of ND virus with T. tetraptera extracts was not significant.