Disclosed is a process for removing water soluble extractives from non-woody plants of the genus Hesperaloe, wherein the extract contains at least one saponin. The process includes providing Hesperaloe biomass, milling and washing the biomass with a solvent to yield a crude extract and optionally further purifying and/or concentrating the crude extract. The saponins extracted from Hesperaloe biomass may comprise 25(27)-dehydrofucreastatin, 5(6), 25(27)-disdehydroyuccaloiside C, 5(6)-disdehydroyuccaloiside C, furcreastatin, and yuccaloiside C. An embodiment of present application provides a method of enhancing an immune response to an antigen in a non-human animal comprising administration of a saponin containing Hesperaloe extract. Another embodiment provides an administration of a Hesperaloe-derived immunomodulator containing one or more saponins for the prevention, treatment, and control of one or more conditions in non-human animals. Preferably, a Hesperaloe extract comprising one or more saponins may be administered orally to poultry for the prevention and treatment of coccidiosis.
Loading....