Efficacy of commercial gamat extract (Stichopus variegatus) preparation on stray cats with gastrointestinal helminthiasis

Due to the numerous nutritional and medicinal characteristics of sea cucumbers, or Gamat, and their products are frequently used in traditional medicine in Malaysia and other parts of Asia. However, no study about antiparasitic properties of Gamat was made to date. While gastrointestinal helminthiasis is one of the common and important diseases affecting cats, this pilot study aims to determine the efficacy of a commercial Gamat (Stichopus variegatus) jelly preparation against gastrointestinal helminthiasis in cats through per os administration. Thus, a total of six cats across the vicinity of Pengkalan Chepa and Kota Bharu were taken as samples which then were divided into two groups (treatment and control group) with 14 days of study period. Samples that were taken were faecal and blood samples. Although statistical analysis shows no significance findings (p>0.05), there was a gradual decrease of the helminth ova (EPG) and haematological improvement of cats in the treatment group. In short, Gamat (Stichopus variegatus) extract shows to be effective in reducing the gastrointestinal worm burden on stray cats.
Keywords: Gastrointestinal helminthiasis, Gamat/sea cucumber (Stichopus variegatus), Helminth ova, Faecal examination, Antiparasitic