Determining the effect of vitamin C on anthelmintic performance of piperazine citrate used for treatment of nematodes in local chicken.
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Date
2026
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Busitema University
Abstract
Gastrointestinal nematodes particularly A. galli and H. gallinarum remain a major constraint to productivity of indigenous chickens kept under semi-intensive and backyard systems in Uganda. Piperazine citrate is widely used for control of ascarids and yet incomplete efficacy and emerging concerns over reduced performance under field conditions have prompted interest in nutritional adjuncts. This study evaluated the effect of concurrent Vitamin C supplementation on the anthelmintic efficacy of piperazine citrate against naturally acquired nematode infections in local chickens.
A total of thirty (30) local chickens (n = 10 per group) with fecal egg counts ≥ 200 eggs per gram (EPG) were randomly allocated to three groups: (A) piperazine citrate (200 mg/kg) + Vitamin C (100 mg/0.5 kg body weight), (B) piperazine citrate alone and (C) untreated
Treatments were administered orally on day 0. Fecal samples collected on day 0 and day 7 were examined using the modified McMaster technique. Efficacy was expressed as fecal egg count reduction (FECR) and fecal egg reduction (FER) scores. Data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s HSD post-hoc test (α = 0.05).
The piperazine citrate + Vitamin C group achieved the highest mean FER (215.00 ± 24.15) which was significantly greater (p < 0.05) than both the piperazine-alone group (110.00 ± 56.76) and the untreated control (130.00 ± 53.75). Corresponding FECR values were approximately 81 % for the combination, 50 % for piperazine alone and 34 % for the control. Piperazine citrate alone was not significantly different from the untreated control. The variability in egg reduction was substantially increased the short-term anthelmintic efficacy of the drug against gastrointestinal nematodes in local chicken. The results suggest that the addition of vitamin C to piperazine citrate is a simple and inexpensive way to enhance the anthelmintic efficacy under smallholder production system therefore, its adoption by farmers and agricultural extension officers is desirable.
Furthermore, there is a need for more studies including larger sample sizes, dose-ranging trials and mechanistic assessments to corroborating evidence and establish the generalizability of the effect.
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Undergraduate research report
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Adong, L. (2026). Determining the effect of vitamin C on anthelmintic performance of piperazine citrate used for treatment of nematodes in local chicken. [Unpublished undergraduate research report]. Busitema University.