Tannin from Betel Nut (Areca catechu) as an Alternative Dewormer for Broiler Chickens

(Gallus gallus domesticus)

Daniel P. Abundo
Elliah Mae T. Ramos
Julianne A. Belante
Marjorie C. Eboña
Erika Faye A. Gomez
Christian Y. Latriz
Sophia Angela M. Lo
Madrick Ace S. Villa
Patricia Jane E. Vista
 Chapter 1

The Problem

Introduction

Chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) or farm birds are domestic birds that cannot fly and

most widely recognized sort of poultry on earth. They are believed to have descended from the

wild Indian and South-East Asian Red Junglefowl. They have quite an amazing lifespan with

maximum age of twenty-five years. It is very rare for a chicken to live such long, however, since

they are vulnerable to predators and diseases, they generally lived about seven or eight years. A

chicken has a comb on the head and two wattle under the neck. This is the most common features

of birds. Chickens come in many sizes and colors. The male chickens or commonly known as a

rooster are larger, more brightly colored, and has a larger comb. They also show off their colorful

feathers to attract the female chicken. The female chickens are recognized as hens having a smaller

comb and the ability to lay eggs regardless of whether or not they are being kept in the company

of a rooster. Their body is naturally intended to produce an egg once every 24 to 27 hours and it

will form the eggs regardless of whether the egg is actively fertilized during its formation. They

lay eggs which can range in color from pure white, to dark brown, to olive green, to speckled.

Chicken usually eats worms, insects, seeds, grains, snails, slugs, fruits and vegetables. The

gizzard which is part of the stomach contains tiny stones to help grind up the food. Chicken has

been tamed and devoured for its nourishment in a huge number of years. Being known all around

the world for its high protein content, rich in vitamins and minerals, and has an extensive variety

of health benefits. Besides being an important source of proteins to the humans, it plays a major
social and economical value. Healthy chickens can be observed physically, but when they are ill,

they try to hide it because they are a prey animal and it is a part of their survival instinct.

Many common health issues in chicken will be reduced or perhaps avoided by rising diets

and relieving parts that might contribute to poultry stress. The egg industry-commissioned research

has proved that the cage, barn, and free-range farming systems contributes to the chicken’s stress

level ("Are stress levels of hens", 2016). Common problem in poultry farm is parasitism that ranks

high among the factors that threaten local chicken production and usually leads to lowered

productivity (Idika et al., 2016). Parasitism is usually more insidous and not so noticeable as

specific diseases, numerous of which have deadly effect and spectacular in nature, especially

helminths. Helminths are considered to be an important cause of ill health and reduction in poultry

productivity. These parasites can be found in the intestines and feces when expelled as fresh

specimen. They are more frequently found in the warm seasons, when the intermediate host are

abundant. However, poultry farmers demands a control measures for these parasitic diseases.

Poultry expert advises deworming as a regular part of poultry care regimen to quickly avoid

the spread of various diseases. Many chicken owners found out that deworming twice a year is

most beneficial during the time of fall. According to The Chicken Vet “The best strategy is to

control worm twice per year: once in fall, and once in spring. To keep resistance from developing,

you should rotate 2 or 3 of them in a program. Use product A in the fall, and product B in the

spring, Product C in the following spring and so on”. The human history explains the interactions

of the diseases with traditional herbal treatment that is why the villagers in India prefers using

traditional or alternative dewormer than the commercial modern anthelmintic because of its

drawback that it could cause toxicity in human beings (Karumari et al, 2014.).
 One of the alternative anthelmintic sometimes used by the poultry raisers in some provinces

is using Areca catechu also known as Betel nut, which is abundantly used by the eldest but often

neglected especially in this generation. It is often pulverized then orally administered to the

chicken. However, the very source of its anthelmintic property is still unknown for the poultry

raisers as it was traditionally regarded as useful to oral hygiene, appetite, as well as to saliva

production. This fruit is ovoid with a diameter of 2 to 3 cm with an orange-yellow color, containing

the nut embedded in a fiburous fleshy envelope and invested with a brittle shell which adheres to

the exterior flesh.

Inside the betel nut is a roundish-colonical shape which is diversified with a fawn color,

internally brownish-red with a whitish veins that is hard and has a feeble odor when broken. The

main component of betel nuts is tannin. Tannin (tannic acid) is a naturally occuring complex

chemicals that are commonly found in plants, seeds, barks, and fruit skins, stem tissues. In

addition, tannin also protect plants from ultraviolet. It is an important group of secondary plant

metabolites that were originally used in dyeing textiles and leather production industry in the

tannin of animals hides. They are non-crystallizable compounds and are soluble in water such as

dilute alkalis, alcohol, glycerol and acetone. Its solutions precipitate heavy metals, alkaloids,

glycosides and protein like gelatin. These proanthocyanidin polyphenols are particularly prevalent

in variety of vascular plants, including fruits, teas, legumes, and grasses. This water soluble acid

polyphenolic substance has a pale yellow to light brown-red appearance and has an astringent and

bitter taste. Its taste is quite sharp or caustic, providing the distinctive astringency that humans

associate with red wines, teas, and unriped fruits. An example of the location of the tannin in stem

tissue is that they are often found in the growth areas of the trees, such as the secondary phloem

and xylem and the layer of the cortex and epidermis.

 Tannins are categorized into two types; hydrolysable and condensed tannin. Hydrolysable

type of tannin contains polyhydric alcohol and hydroxyl group, whereas condensed tannin are

more complex in their structure. The most abundant polyphenols are the condensed tannins, found

in virtually all families of plants, and comprising up to 50% of the dry weight of leaves (Serrano

et al., 2017). It has a component called gallocatechin and epigallocatechin that activates the

anthelmintic activity that is responsible for removing helminths (Williams et al., 2014).

The researchers consider working on this study from June 20, 2018 to December 1, 2018.

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to isolate the tannin from betel nut and test its antihelmintic property.

Specifically, it aims to answer the following questions:

1. Does tannin from betel nut effectively eliminate eggs of helminths in the broiler chickens?

2. Which treatment is effective in eliminating eggs of helminths in the broiler chickens?

3. Is there a significant difference between the treatments in eliminating eggs of helminths in

broiler chicken?

Basic Assumptions

1. The effectiveness of tannin from betel nut in eliminating eggs of helminths in broiler

chicken varies.

2. Each treatment has their own level of effectiveness in eliminating eggs of helminths in

broiler chicken.
Null Hypothesis

There is no significant difference between the treatments in eliminating eggs of helminths

in broiler chicken.

Alternative Hypothesis

There is a significant difference between the treatments in eliminating eggs of helminths

in broiler chicken.

Scope and Delimitation

This study is focused on the effectivity of tannin from betel nut to be used as a dewormer.

Its application is only limited to the broiler chickens identified with helminths. The only concern

of this experiment is to produce an alternative dewormer for broiler chickens from the tannin in

betel nut and test its effectivity through counting the helminth’s eggs in their feces before and after

the exposure to treatments to be carried out using fecal analysis.

The researchers consider working on this study from June 20, 2018 to December 1, 2018.

Significance of the Study

This study will have a great importance to the following:

Community. It will help the community to gain broad knowledge about the different uses

of betel nut. It will make them give importance to this plant which is often neglected, though it is

commonly seen in the Philippines because of its unexplored uses.

 Farmers. It will help them to increase the production and popularity of betel nut as well

as to provide additional income.

Poultry Farmers. It will help them to have an antihelmintic additives as a substitute for

the commercialized one.

Feeds Manufacturers. It will help them to gain knowledge in upgrading the quality of

their products and thus produce feeds that has antihelmintic properties.

Future Researchers. This study will serve as a very useful reference for their future study.

Definition of Terms

Acetone. It is a colorless volatile liquid ketone made by oxidizing isopropanol, used as an

organic solvent and synthetic reagent. In this study, it will be used as the solvent to extract tannin

from the betel nut.

Antihelmintic or anthelmintic. These are groups of antihelmintic drugs that expels

parasitic worms and other internal parasites from the body. In this study, the antihelmintic property

of tannin from betel nut is tested.

Betel nut. It is the seed of the fruit of the areca palm. Tannin, which is the main focused

substance of this study, was extracted from this fruit.

Broiler Chicken. These are the chicken raised in a large, open structure called house,

where they roam, explore, eat, and commune with other chickens. In this study, the broiler chicken

will be the respondents or the one who will be exposed to the treatments.
 Dewormer. It is used to stun or expel worms. In this study, the tannin from betel nut will

be used as a dewormer.

Extraction. The act or process of getting something by pulling it out or forcing it out. It is

the process of getting the tannin from betel nut.

Fecal Analysis. A process being done to a feces in order to test or diagnose a certain

condition. In this study, the infestation of helminths and the effectivity of treatment will be

diagnosed using this test.

Feces. It is the wastes of the body discharged through the anus. In this study, the effectivity

of the treatment will be measured through examining the feces of the broiler chickens.

Helminths. These are the parasitic worms found in the intestine of their host. In this study,

the helminths will be expelled from the chicken.

Organic. Grown or made without the use of artificial chemicals. The tannin that is the

focus in this study is to be derived organically.

Tannin. Any of various soluble astringent complex phenolic substances of plant origin. In

this research study, it is extracted from betel nut to be used as anthelmintic.

 End Notes

Are stress levels of hens in battery cages the same as those of hens in cage-free egg production

systems? (2016). RSPCA Australia Knowledgebase. Retrieved September 7, 2018, from

http://kb.rspca.org.au/are-stress-levels-of-caged-layer-hens-the-same-as-those-of-hens-in-

non-cage-egg-production-systems_571.html

Idika, I. K., Obi, C. F., Iheagwam, C. N., & Nwosu, C. O. (2016). Gastrointestinal helminth

parasites of local chickens from selected communities in Nsukka region of south eastern

Nigeria. J Parasit Dis, 40(4), 1376-1380. doi:10.1007/s12639-015-0694-9

Karumari, R. J., Sumanthi, S., Vijayalakshmi, K., & Balasubramanian, S. E. (2014). Anthelmintic

Efficacy of Sesbania grandiflora Leaves and Solanum torvum Fruits against the Nematode

Parasite Ascaridia galli. American Journal of Ethnomedicine, 1(5), 326-333. Retrieved

from http://www.imedpub.com/articles/anthelmintic-efficacy-of-sesbania-

grandifloraleaves-and-solanum-torvum-fruits-against-thenematode-parasite-ascaridia-

galli.php?aid=10887

Mormino, K. (2018, May 05). Control & Treatment of Worms in Chickens. Retrieved from

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/control-treatment-of-worms-in-chickens/

Serrano, J., Eboña, M., Suelila, R., Brendia, C., Almadrones, E., & Pasacay, M. (2017). Tannin

from betel nut as a natural defense against termite infestation (Unpublished master's thesis).

Moreno Integrated School.

Williams, A.R., Ropiak, H.M., Fryganas, C., Desrues, O., Harvey, I.M., & Thamsborgpa, S.

(2014). Assessment of the anthelmintic activity of medicinal plant extracts and purified

condensed tannins against free-living and parasitic stages of oesophagostomum dentatum.

Parasites and Vectors, 7(518). doi:10.1186/s13071-014-0518-2