Effect of pomegranate peel extract on oocyte shedding and intestinal pathology in experimental Coccidiosis of broiler chickens

Abstract

<br /> <strong>Background & Aim</strong>: Coccidial infections cause significant economic damage to the poultry industry every year in different parts of the world, whether clinical or subclinical coccidiosis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare pomegranate peel extract with toltrazoril on the excretion of Eimeria oocytes and intestinal pathology.<br /> <br /> <strong>Experimental</strong>: In this study, 180 Ross day-old chicks were used. After inoculation of chicks with Eimeria oocytes at the age of 21 days and giving time to symptoms appear, treatment with the commercial drug tolterazuril (2 days) and pomegranate peel extract (7 days) at concentrations of 100, 200 and 400 ppm was started. and fecal specimens were counted. At the end of treatment period, stool specimens were randomly collected and examined for cecal oocyte excretion in chicks, and cecum specimens were tested for histological damage after treatment. Finally, histopathological slides and the statistical analysis of data were reviewed.<br /> <br /> <strong>Results</strong>. The results indicated a significant decrease in fecal oocyte excretion, reduction of coccidiosis-related pathological lesions, and elimination of parasitic life in the cecum, in the groups treated with pomegranate peel extract (400> 200> 100 ppm). In the infected and untreated group, cecal hemorrhage, necrosis and life stages of the parasite were observed. These symptoms were also observed mildly in the group treated with 100 ppm of extract. None of the mentioned symptoms were observed in the group treated with 400 ppm of the pomegranate peel extract.<br /> <br /> <strong>Recommended applications/ industries</strong>: According to the results of this study and also considering the side effects of drugs, pomegranate peel extract can be used as an adjuvant therapy to control coccidiosis in poultry.<br /> <br /> <br /> <strong><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'B Nazanin'; mso-bidi-language: FA;" lang="FA"> </span></strong>