Clinical and immunological effects of Malva sylvestris and levamisole combination in the treatment of trichophytosis in cattle.

Abstract

This study investigated the clinical and immunological efficacy of combining Malva sylvestris L. extract with levamisole in calves naturally affected by bovine trichophytosis. Forty clinically diagnosed calves (8-11 months old) were randomly allocated into four groups: Control, Malva, Levamisole, and Combination. All animals received subcutaneous ivermectin (0.2 mg/kg) ten days before treatment and were maintained under uniform housing, feeding, and management conditions throughout the study. Treatments were applied for 21 days: Control (distilled water + saline), Malva (M. sylvestris extract + saline), Levamisole (distilled water + levamisole, 2.5 mg/kg), and Combination (both treatments). Lesion diameters were recorded on days 0 and 21. Blood samples collected on days 0, 7, 14, and 21 were analysed for leukocyte profiles and serum IgG, IL-6, and IFN-γ concentrations. The Combination group exhibited the most pronounced reduction in lesion size (p≤0.05) and marked elevations in leukocyte counts and IgG levels (p≤0.01). IL-6 concentrations significantly decreased in the Malva group by day 21 (p≤0.001), whereas IFN-γ levels showed notable increases in the Levamisole and Combination groups (p≤0.001). Overall, these findings underscore the therapeutic potential of integrating topical M. sylvestris with systemic levamisole as an effective complementary strategy for managing bovine dermatophytosis.