Immunological studies on the effects of toltrazuril and neem extract in broiler chickens suffering from coccidiosis.

Background: The prevalence of avian coccidiosis in the poultry industry has grown, resulting in substantial financial losses from high mortality, stunted growth, reduced productivity, and expensive medical expenses. Aim: The purpose of the current study was to assess the immunological effects of neem leaf extract and toltrazuril on broilers that had contracted coccidiosis. Methods: In this investigation, 100 one-day-old Cobb broiler chicks without sexes were employed. The chicks were divided into five equal groups, with 20 birds in each. On the 14th day of life, the birds in groups 2, 3, 4, and 5 received an oral inoculation with 1 × 105 sporulated oocysts of Eimeria tenella (E. tenella) (field isolate). The first group (Gp), which consists of 20 healthy broilers, served as a negative control. Gp (2) contains experimentally infected broilers and nontreated (served as a positive control). Gp (3) contains experimentally infected broilers treated with toltrazuril (1 ml/l drinking water) for two consecutive days. Gp (4) contains experimentally infected broilers treated with neem leaf extract 4% (50 ml/l drinking water) for 5 successive days, and Gp (5) contains experimentally infected broilers treated with toltrazuril (1 ml/l drinking water) and a half dose of neem leaves extract 4% (25 ml/l drinking water) for 5 successive days. For the purpose of estimating body weight growth and feed conversion ratio, each broiler was weighed separately at the start of the trial and again on the 1st and 10th day after treatment. In addition to obtaining intestinal samples for immunohistochemistry, blood samples were also obtained for immunological examination. Results: As compared to the negative control group, the experimentally infested broilers with E. tenella showed significant decreases in serum nitric oxide, lysosome, phagocytic percent, and phagocytic index, along with significant increases in white blood cells (WBCs), lymphocyte, heterophilis, eosinophilis, basophilis, monocyte, serum total protein, γ globulin, fibrinogen, and haptoglobin. When compared to the control positive group, experimentally infested broilers treated with either neem or toltrazuril alone or in combination demonstrated significant increases in serum total protein, nitric oxide, lysozyme, phagocytic percent, and phagocytic index, but significant decreases in WBCs, lymphocytes, heterophile, eosinophile, basophile, and monocyte. The intestinal peroxidase stain of broilers infected with E. tenella exhibited a significant positive expression for CD4, but the infected broilers treated with toltrazuril and half a dosage of neem displayed a negative expression for CD4, identical to the negative control. Conclusion: The broiler chickens infested with E. tenella may have a variety of negative impacts on their immune systems and immunohistopathological findings. Nonetheless, toltrazuril and neem extract, either separately or in combination, function as anticoccidial medications that may enhance the broiler chicks' immune state.

Efficacy of dietary supplements of Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice) and maduramicin alone or in combination with Eimeria tenella infected chicks: A clinical study and molecular docking.

Background: Coccidiosis is one of the most economically significant poultry diseases worldwide, caused by the pathogenic Eimeria species, and is characterized by decreased weight gain (WG) and failure to grow due to malabsorption, low feed conversion rate, bloody diarrhea, and dehydration. Aim: This study investigated the effectiveness of licorice root extract (LRE) in controlling cecal coccidiosis to determine whether its combination with maduramicin could help alleviate the pathological, biochemical, and histopathological effects of cecal coccidiosis in Sasso broiler chicks. Methods: A total of 125 one-day-old Sasso broiler chicks were categorized into five equal groups (n = 25), each consisting of five replicates (n = 5 per replicate). G1-LE received a basal diet supplemented with LRE (3 g/kg); G2-ME received a basal diet containing maduramycin (0.5 g/kg); and G3-LME received a basal diet containing LRE and maduramicin together with the same rates. G4-E (positive control) and G5-N (negative control) received no additives in their feed. Birds in groups (G1-4) were challenged on day 14 of the experiment by orally intercropping a 1 ml suspension of Eimeria tenella sporulated oocysts. Results: Groups of birds fed on LRE and maduramicin separately or together appeared to be in good condition where no deaths or clinical abnormalities were observed, based on the analysis of clinicopathological examination. Compared with the G4-E positive control, the dropping scoring and oocyst shedding of groups G1-LE, G2-ME, and G3-LME along the 10th-day post-challenge (dpc), as well as macroscopic and microscopic lesions scoring at the 7th dpc, was considerably lower. The dual supplementation use of LRE and maduramicin in G3-LME's reduced the harmful effects of coccidian, which appeared only as a mononuclear cellular infiltration and a small number of oocysts invading the intestinal glands. Molecular docking revealed that LRE and maduramicin interacted with E. tenella DNA polymerase, E. tenella apical membrane antigen 1, and microneme protein binding sites resulting in reduced E. tenella replication and invasion. Conclusion: The inclusion of LRE and maduramicin, individually or in combination, in the diet might effectively mitigate the detrimental effects of coccidiosis.