Anticoccidial activities of Salvadora persica(arak), Zingiber officinale (ginger) and Curcuma longa (turmeric) extracts on the control of chicken coccidiosis

Objective: To investigate the effect of Salvadora persica, Zingiber officinale andCurcuma longa plant extracts for the treatment of Eimeria tenella infection in chickens. Methods: One hundred and fifty broiler chickens one-day-old were obtained from a commercial breeder and kept under strict hygienic conditions. The chicks were divided into five equal groups. The first group was kept as a negative control (uninfected/untreated), second group was infected with E. tenella (10⁵) orally at 14 days of age (untreated), while the third group was infected with E. tenella (10⁵) orally at 14 days of age, then treated with S. persica [900 mg/kg body weight (bw)] for 5 days. The fourth group was infected with E. tenella (10⁵) orally at 14 days of age, then treated with Z. officinale (6 g/L) for 5 days and The fifth group was infected with E. tenella (10⁵) orally at 14 days of age, then treated with C. longa (300 mg/kg bw) for 5 days. Treatment in all groups started after signs of infection appeared, i.e. from 18 to 22 days of age. Results: There were significant decreases in Eimeria oocyst output in all treated groups from day 5 to 10 days post infection (dpi). The highest oocyst count occurred at 9 dpi and decreased on subsequent days. Red blood cell count (RBCs), hemoglobin concentration (Hb), and packed cell volume (PCV) showed significant decreases in the infection, Z. officinale and C. longa treated groups, but the S. persica treated group revealed non-significant changes in the first week after infection. The results of score lesion showed the highest lesion in the infected group with a significant decrease in the S. persica and C. longa groups; there was a non-significant decrease in the Z. officinale group. All the results were confirmed histopathologically. Conclusion: Treatment with herbal extracts of S. persica, Z. officinale and C. longa were effective in decreasing oocyst production and reducing the cecum lesion score.