Group 6 - Del Mundo
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
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The brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus) is the most common ixodid tick and a well-known carrier of various pathogens that afflict canines and sporadically people (Gray et al., 2013). Factors contributing to their growing population and infestations include warm and humid temperatures and a high population of dogs (Dantes-Torres, 2010). Given that the Philippines is a tropical country and is the home of about 12 million dogs (Nag, 2017), the transmission of tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) is high due to the ideal environment for tick reproduction and survival (Galay et al., 2018). Such TBPs include protozoan parasites Babesia and Theileria, bacteria Anaplasma and Ehrlichia canis, and hemotropic Mycoplasma which are occasionally infectious to humans (Banovic et al., 2021). Since brown dog ticks pose a huge threat to dog and human health, scientists and manufacturers started formulating chemicals to prohibit the spread of these parasites such as acaricides.
Chemical acaricides are used to kill organisms under the subclass Acari, which includes ticks and mites (Carr & Roe, 2016). They contain chlorinated hydrocarbons, carbamates, permethrin, formamidines, and pyrethroids (Coats, 2012). However, the commencement of production of chemical acaricides against ticks was only partially successful since downsides were also evident in its production, especially in the food and environmental sector (Basu & Charles, 2017). Nevertheless, Quadros et al., (2020) determined that numerous plant species contain natural acaricidal properties such as cultivated tobacco and the caster oil plant. However, there have been instances of natural acaricides' inconsistent effectiveness (Gashout et al., 2020). In addition, according to Basu & Charles (2017) to the aforementioned study, tick strains become resistant as a result of repeated usage of acaricides. This necessitates the need of producing safe and consistently effective acaricides. With this, scientists and manufacturers started to apply the growing concept of nanoparticles, specifically metal nanoparticles to parasitology.
Metal nanoparticles decrease the membrane permeability of tick cells, which will eventually cause their death (Zaheer et al., 2022). Despite this, the physical and chemical production of metallic nanoparticles still poses a major issue in the environment since they necessitate highly reactive and toxic reducing agents (Rajasekhar & Kanchi, 2018). However, biosynthesis, specifically plant-mediated nanoparticles, has gained attention due to its fast, eco-friendly, non-pathogenic, and economical protocol (Sivakumar, 2021). Thus, the researchers will utilize plant-mediated metal nanoparticles as an acaricide against ticks.
Guyabano (Annona muricata) or soursop is a green, soft-spined, heart-shaped fruit with green leathery skin. While the fruit of this plant is often eaten as a dessert and/or processed into sweetmeats, the leaves of guyabano, as stated by Borges (2011), guyabano leaves contain natural acaricidal chemicals such as Goniothalamicin (Alkofahi et al., 1987) Gigantetrocin A and annomontacin (Alali et al., 1998) Squamocin (Guadano et al., 2000).
Currently, there are only a few published studies tackling guyabano-mediated CuNPs. There is also only a limited number of studies linked to the acaricidal properties of CuNPs. To address these gaps, the researchers decided to conduct an experiment that will examine the acaricidal potential of CuNPs synthesized using guyabano leaf extract against brown dog ticks.
STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
This study aimed to determine the acaricidal potential of guyabano-mediated CuNPs against Rhipicephalus sanguineus in different concentrations. The experimental groups utilized are the following concentrations: 5%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%. Amitraz served as a positive control group while distilled water was the negative control group. Specifically, the researchers aimed to answer the following questions:
1. What are the bioactive compounds present in the guyabano leaf ethanolic extract?
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2. Is there a significant difference in the mortality rate of Rhipicephalus sanguineus in the following comparisons:
a. within experimental groups
b. between experimental and control groups
SCOPE
LIMITATIONS
This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the acaricidal properties of synthesized CuNPs using guyabano leaf ethanolic extract through the mortality rate of Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Copper sulfate pentahydrate was added to the collected extract through maceration using ethanol to synthesize the copper nanoparticles. This study utilized a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) and Simple Random Sampling. The experiment was conducted via in vitro assay using 5%, 10% 20%, 30%, and 40% concentrations of the nanoparticles in ethanol. The researchers also used a positive control group (Amitraz) and a negative control group (distilled water) to further validate the results and determine the significant effect of each concentration on the test subjects. In addition, the researchers set up three (3) replicates for each treatment to lessen the chance of bias.
This study only utilized the leaves of the guyabano plant, and did not extend to its other parts, such as its roots and its fruit. The subjects were only Rhipicephalus sanguineus sourced from dogs which were verified by a veterinarian for the validation of its morphological structure. This study focused on the acaricidal activity of guyabano-mediated nanoparticles, not the ethanol they are mixed with since the amount of ethanol used for each concentration was constant. The researchers may have encountered problems regarding the subjects that are out of their control: firstly, the ticks collected may have had underlying conditions leading to their death that was not the acaricide; secondly, the health and age of the ticks may have been hard to determine and may have caused complications in the experiment, hence, the researchers did not include its eggs; and lastly, the setup was conducted in an artificial environment and therefore may yield different results when set in ordinary conditions. The study was conducted under the assumption that all ticks to be tested are in good condition and are unsusceptible to external factors that are not the acaricide. Additionally, the researchers assumed that the data collected were normally distributed and has equal variances.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The objective of this study is to use guyabano-mediated CuNPs as an acaricide that potentially has an effectivity comparable to existing ones, while still maintaining the environment-friendliness of its production. Hence, the area of parasitology will primarily benefit from the findings of this paper since it may provide an efficient way of controlling tick infestations. Additionally, this may also contribute to the advancement of knowledge regarding nanotechnology as its acaricidal benefits will be explored and its plant-mediated synthesis will be practiced. Furthermore, this research is expected to benefit the following:
This research may be utilized as a guide in manufacturing new acaricidal products, especially if the industry wishes to pursue the addition of this study’s variables in their product formulations. The initiatives of converting the production of acaricides into a more environment-friendly and cost-efficient process may also be supported by this research. Thus, the pharmaceutical industries may employ these enhancements in their future ventures in order to potentially improve the sector's economic state.
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PHARMACEUTICAL
SECTOR
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Although problems directly related to the general public will not be solved, this study can still be beneficial to them. As it is targeted to control infestations, this study may significantly contribute to the attempt of lowering cases of tick-related pathogens that occasionally impose dangers to the whole society, including those members who do not own pets. Some pathogens that may possibly be prohibited with the help of this study are the protozoan parasites Babesia and Theileria, bacteria Anaplasma and Ehrlichia canis, and hemotropic Mycoplasma.
GENERAL
PUBLIC
Being the ones responsible for their pets, owners are actively seeking out acaricidal treatments. The results of this study may aid in providing them with an alternative acaricide that is effective and less expensive than the existing ones in the market. Through this, help may be offered to owners who are struggling with the continuous management of their pets, specifically in terms of constraining tick infestations.
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PET
OWNERS
The findings of this study may also be beneficial to the environment as it proposes the use of biosynthesis in plant-mediated nanoparticles—a less toxic and eco-friendlier means involved in the production of acaricides as compared to other physical and chemical options. Moreover, guyabano leaves are suggested to be used in this research, which prevents them from being left to proliferate excessively in our surroundings.
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ENVIRONMENTAL
SECTOR
Other researchers, especially those focusing on the further elaboration of this specific study, may use this as a guide. This paper may also benefit those currently working or interested in the same area of knowledge as nanotechnology and acaricidal products. The methodology can be followed and modified as a basis for experimentation while the data gathered can be treated as a reference. Furthermore, the results of this research may also lead to new related research problems that future researchers may wish to address.
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