Gotu Kola as Piglet Scouring Treatment

by Romanes, May Anne Joy D., Balita, Marlon, Deñado, Emerson and Calleja, Charles

(October 2008, Cavite State University Main Campus)

Introduction

      

        Gotu kola (Centella asiatica) is a prostrate, sparingly hairy or nearly smooth herb, which grows from about 3 to 15 cm. Long.  Its leaves are small (2–5 cm. wide), rounded to reniform, horizontal, more or less cupped, rounded at tip, kidney–shaped or heart–shaped at base and brightly green in color.  Its flowers are purple, ovate and are about 1 mm. in length.  The fruits are minute, ovoid, maybe white or green and reticulate with 9 subsimilar longitudinal ridges.  Gotu Kola is often found in damp, open grasslands, rice paddy banks and along the streams throughout the Philippines..  (de Padua, Lugod & Pancho, 1977, p. 53; Agravante, Reyes, J. G., Santiago & Reyes, A., 1985, pp. 206–207; “Gotu Kola introduction”, 2008; “Philippine medicinal plants”, n.d.)

Due to differences in language, Gotu Kola is called in different names.  In English, it was known as Indian Hydrocotyle, Indian Pennywort, Madekassol, Marsh Penny and Water Pennywort; in Tagalog, Takip Kohol, Tapingan Daga, Takip Suso and Taingan Daga; Hahanghalo, Yahong–Yahong and Yahang–Yahang in Visayan dialect; and Tagaditak in Ivatan. (de Padua, Lugod & Pancho, 1977, p. 53; Agravante, Reyes, J. G., Santiago & Reyes, A., 1985, pp. 206 – 207; “Gotu Kola is”, 2003; “Gotu Kola a”, 2007; “Gotu Kola introduction”, 2008; “Gotu Kola generally”, 1997; Onaylos, 1994; “Philippine medicinal plants”, n.d.)

Scour is a term that connotes the excretion of feces containing excess fluids.  It may also contain blood, undigested food, mucus and pieces of membrane from the linings of the intestines.  Generally, there are four types of scouring according to cause, namely dietary or nutritional scouring, bacterial scouring, viral scouring and parasitic scouring.  Scouring accounts for about 20% of pig losses between farrowing and weaning and is one of the major problems facing the swing producer.  (Ensminger, 1977, p. 781; Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry, Natural Resources Research Development {PCARRD} & Pfizer, 2002, pp. 90-91; “Piglet Scours”, 2005)

Review of Related Literature

History

            For thousands of years, Gotu Kola is used as a medicinal herb in India, China, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Madagascar.  Gotu Kola has been called as one of the miracle elixirs of life because of a legend of an ancient Chinese herbalist who lived for more than 200 years as a result of using the herb.  Incidentally, Sri Lanka had noticed that elephants, which were renowned for its longevity, munched on the leaves of the plant, thus, it was believed that Gotu Kola promotes long life.  The Chinese name for Gotu Kola translates to “fountain of youth.”  Until now, it is still widely used in these countries.  (“Gotu Kola a”, 2007; “Philippine medicinal plants”, n.d.; “Gotu Kola generally”, 1997; “Gotu Kola contains”, 2008; “Gotu Kola has”, n.d.)

Medicinal Uses

            Known for promoting longevity, Gotu Kola is claimed to cure and treat a multitude of diseases; thus, this may explain how Gotu Kola favors long life.  Gotu Kola is known to “cure” and “treat” diseases such as low blood pressure, high blood pressure, gonorrhea, wounds, eczema, ulcers, bruises, leprosy, kidney trouble, toothache, throat inflammation, fever, colds, measles, eye diseases, asthma, inflammation, UTI, psoriasis, elephantiasis, flu, liver difficulties, snake bites, herpes, fracture, sprains, syphilis, rheumatism, epilepsy, acne, vaginal infection, mycosis, insomnia, tuberculosis, hemorrhoids, arthritis and certain forms of cancer.  Gotu Kola is also used to promote relaxation, improve memory, increase the WBC counts, ease anxiety, tonic, diuretic, antidysenteric, antidiarrheic and antidote to mushroom and arsenic poisoning.  It is also used to kill tumor cells, regulate sugar level, prevent mental fatigue, and act as anti – wrinkles and anti stretch marks.  It is also used against dry and scaly skin and for allergies.  (“Gotu Kola is”, 2003; “Gotu Kola extract”, 2008; “Gotu Kola introduction”, 2008; “Gotu Kola used”, 2008; “What is Gotu Kola”, n.d.; “Gotu Kola can”; “Gotu Kola generally”, 1997; “Heals burns and wounds”, n.d.; “Gotu Kola has been used for centuries”, n.d.)

Side Effects

            Gotu Kola is generally considered as safe and side effects on using it.  It is uncommon and only occurs in the rarest of cases.  Most side effects are experienced with high doses of Gotu Kola and when it is used for more than six weeks, which is not recommended.  Side effects occur when this herb is used externally and/or taken orally.  When used externally, burning sensations, allergies, skin rashes and itching might be experienced; when taken orally, headache, stomach irritation, nausea, dizziness and drowsiness.  Moreover, Gotu Kola can cause spontaneous abortion and increase sensitivity to sun.  (“Gotu Kola is”, 2003; “Gotu Kola a”; “Gotu Kola contains”, 2008; “Gotu Kola has”, n.d.; “Gotu Kola as”, n.d.; “Gotu Kola used”, n.d.)

Components of Gotu Kola

            Gotu Kola contains amino acids, such as alanine and serine; terpenoids such as triterpenes, asiaticoside, brahmoside and brahminoside (saponin glycosides), aglycones, asiatic acid, centellic acid, centoic acid, asiaticoside, madecassoside and madecassic acid; sesquiterpenes like caryophylle and trans – B – farnesene; volatile oils like Germacrene D; alkaloid such as Hydrocotylin; flavones like quercetin, kaempferol, stigmasterol and sistosterol; and other constituents such as vallerine, fatty acids, resins, tannins, vitamins such as vitamin A and K, minerals such as magnesium, calcium and sodium, carbohydrates, gum, salts, fats, albumoid materials and ash.  The active component in Gotu Kola is triterpenes, which is also called “saponins.”  (“Gotu Kola generates”,1997; “Philippine medicinal plants”, n.d.; “Gotu Kola as”, n.d.; “Gotu Kola used”, n.d.; de Padua, Lugod & Pancho, 1977, p. 53; “Gotu Kola introduction”, 2008; “Gotu Kola a”, 2007; “Gotu Kola is ”, 2003; “Gotu Kola constituents”, n.d.)

Triterpenes as the Active Component

            Triterpene is a biochemical compound, which is volatile and rarely found in oil extracts of plants (“Extract of common garden plant”, n.d.).  Its concentration in Gotu Kola varies between 1.1 and 8% (“Gotu Kola generates”, 1997).  Triterpene frequently demonstrates bioactivity as antifungal, antivirals and antibacterials (“Triterpenes frequently demonstrate”, n.d.).  These biological attributes are used against human ailments and diseases such as diarrhea (“Extract of common”, n.d.).

Scouring

Losses in Piglets

            Scouring accounts for about 20% of pig losses between farrowing and weaning.  It is one of the major problems facing the swine industry (Ensminger, 1977, p. 781).  Finding solution in this problem has already been done.  Using of prepared oral rehydration powders and use of antibiotics and other chemicals to pigs are already practiced by animal raisers.  However, the trend nowadays on animal raising is to produce pigs organically.  This means less or no use of chemicals to pigs.  Using of Gotu Kola to treat scouring if successful, may become a part of organic production of swine, thus it will lessen the use of chemicals which means less side effects, less production cost on the part of swine raisers and healthier piglets.

Causes of Scouring

            Ensminger in 1977 enumerated eighteen causes of piglet scouring.  These are overly fat sows at farrowing time; overfeeding of sows before or immediately after farrowing; sudden changes in ration or feeding program of the sow during the last few days of gestation and farrowing; constipation of sows; stale, dirty creep feeds; dirty pens; bringing sows from infected lots directly into farrowing facilities without cleaning the sows; cold, drafty, wet farrowing pen floors; chilling of young pigs; failure of young pigs to receive colostrums during the first few hours after farrowing; dirty baby pig waterers and feeders; stress due to changes in operational practices; disease build – up in farrowing units; fever in sows; sudden changes in environmental temperature or weather conditions; anemia in baby pigs; dead pigs and accumulated infected manure and bedding materials in the pen; and prevalence of diseases such as necrotic enteritis or blood dysentery.

            Escherechia coli or E. coli is the most frequent cause of scouring.  This organism normally lives in animal’s gut and pass out in dungs of growers and adult pigs.  (“Piglet scours is”, 2005)

Symptoms of Scouring

            Symptoms of pig scouring includes dehydration, thicker blood, drop in body temperature, state of shock and excess water in feces.  (PCARRD & Pfizer, 2002, pp. 90 – 91)

Types of Piglet Scours

            There are two types of scours--the pre – weaning and the acute and sub–acute weaner scours.  The pre–weaning scours are grouped depending on the age of the piglet affected.  Baby pig scours is a kind of pre–weaning scours which is characterized by seemingly healthy litter at birth, in which enough milk is supplied by the sow but between 12 and 96 hours of age, the litter becomes affected.  One or two piglets may die while others show varying degrees of scouring.  There are four predisposing factors of baby pig scours, namely insufficient colostrums, inadequate protection, unhygienic farrowing pens and cold and wet environment.  Another kind of pre – weaning scour occurs at 2 to 3 weeks of age and is often referred as “milk scours.”  Few deaths occur during this type of scouring.  E. coli are well established in the gut and certain factors favors their rapid multiplication.  There are three pre – disposing factors of milk scours, namely, passive immunity, build – up in bacterial population and prevalence of other diseases such as anemia and pneumonia.  Acute and sub – acute weaner scours occur in piglets which are 14 to 28 days of age when E. coli are present in the gut ate weaning and certain agents favor their multiplication.  Symptoms appear from 4 to 7 days after weaning.  Passive immunity, change in diet and weaning stress are its predisposing factors.  (“Piglet scours is”, 2005)

Preventive Measures

            For less than 3 week–old piglets, preventive measures, such as hygiene (such as all–in–all–out system); improve immunity which includes control of agalactia, ensuring that piglets received colostrums, mixing of gilts with older sows and feeding sow dung before mating and during late gestation, restriction of number of animal introduction from outside piggeries and vaccination of sows with E. coli vaccine before farrowing; and avoiding stress, should be practice.

            For weaning piglet scours, preventive measures such as offering of weaner diet to sucking pigs fresh each day from 5 to 7 days; mixing of piglets of similar size at weaning; avoiding of weaning the piglets into large groups (10 to 15 pigs in a weaner pen); weaning into a clean, dry and warm environment; restriction of feeding for around 3 to 5 days; feeding of simple weaner diets than high nutrient dense type; use of animal proteins in feeds rather than vegetable protein; weaning at older age of 30 – 35 days rather than 21 to 25 days; and giving of fresh water.  (“Piglet scours is”, 2005)

Effects of Scouring

            Scouring leads to dehydration or electrolyte loss, poor nutrient absorption, toxemia, predisposes to secondary diseases and intestinal damage.  (“Piglet scours is”, 2005)

Treatment of Scouring

            To treat scouring, milk must be withhold because the intestines no longer possess enzymes with the capacity to digest it.  The sow’s feed intake should be restricted by 30% especially if scouring occurs during 2 to 3 weeks of piglet age.  The use of oral rehydration powder and intake of more fluids should be done regularly to counteract massive loss of electrolytes and body fluids through the feces.  Antibiotics should be administered if there is a risk of toxemia due to rapid multiplication of bacteria.  Heat source and cleaner pens should also be provided.  (PCARRD & Pfizer, 2002, pp. 90 – 91; “Pig scours is”, 2005)

On Gotu Kola and Scouring

            Gotu Kola has antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties.  Scouring is usually caused by Escherechia coli (E. coli), a species of bacteria.  Thus, Gotu Kola as an antibacterial can kill E. coli and can treat diarrhea.  There are many antibiotics sold commercially which are made up of various chemicals.  The disadvantage of using antibiotics, aside from increase in the production cost of commercial farms, is that when it is used, it can kill bacteria--leaving other organisms in animal body especially the fungi which can cause other serious diseases.  Gotu Kola can also solve this problem since it has antifungal properties.  In short, if Gotu Kola will be used against scouring, it will kill bacteria causing scouring and at the same time, killing the other organism, such as fungi, which can cause other complications.

References

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