Therapeutic evaluation of homoeopathic drug Crotalus horridus 200C against Ehrlichiosis-infected dogs in Mizoram

Objective: To study, the effect of a homoeopathic medicine Crotalus horridus 200C on ehrlichiosis in dogs in an endemic area of Aizawl district of Mizoram state of India. Materials and Methods: To evaluate the efficacy of Crotalus horridus 200C against ehrlichiosis dogs. 12 positive cases confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were divided into two groups comprising six dogs in each group. One group was treated with standard therapy (doxycycline) and other group was treated with Crotalus horridus 200C at 4 pills orally for 20 days. Clinical improvement of affected dogs was recorded after therapy. Important haemato-biochemical parameters before and after therapy such as haemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), total erythrocyte count (TEC), total leukocyte count (TLC), differential leukocyte count (DLC), platelet count, total protein, albumin, globulin, A:G ratio, total bilirubin, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and liver-specific enzymes namely alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were assessed following standard protocol. All the parameters were compared with a control healthy group (T3). All experiment dogs were from different age with different breeds and bloods were collected at forenoon only. Results: PCR test yielded 13 dogs positive out of 67 suspected samples screened (19.40%) with an amplification of 387 bp fragment from 16S rRNA gene of E. Canis. Off total positive, only 8 (61.53%) could be detected in peripheral blood smear. Crotalus horridus-treated group of dogs showed clinical recovery from fever and temperature to normalcy by the 14th day posttreatment. Haemato-biochemical profiles of affected dogs such as Hb, PCV, TEC, TLC, DLC, platelet count, total protein, albumin, globulin, A:G ratio, total bilirubin, serum creatinine, BUN, and liver-specific enzymes namely ALT and ALP were turned to normalcy within 21 days of post-treatment. Conclusion: Nested PCR assay had been shown to be sensitive and specific for detection of Ehrlichia canis. Crotalus horridus 200C may be an effective and choice of drug for control of canine ehrlichiosis.