Abstract

Background:
Coccidiosis caused by Eimeria spp. remains one of the most economically important diseases in poultry production worldwide. The extensive use of chemical anticoccidials has led to increasing drug resistance and concerns regarding residues, highlighting the need for effective and safe natural alternatives.

Aim:
This study aimed to evaluate the anticoccidial efficacy of selected natural plant extracts as alternatives to conventional chemical antiparasitic drugs in broiler chickens experimentally infected with Eimeria spp.

Methods:
Broiler chickens were allocated into four experimental groups: non-infected control, infected untreated control, chemically treated, and plant extract-treated groups. Birds were monitored for growth performance, fecal oocyst shedding, intestinal lesion scores, histopathological changes, hematological parameters, and immunological, biochemical, and antioxidant responses.

Results:
Plant extract supplementation significantly improved body weight gain and feed conversion ratio, reduced oocyst shedding, and lowered intestinal lesion scores compared with infected untreated birds (p < 0.05). Histopathological examination revealed marked preservation of intestinal architecture in extract-treated birds, comparable to the chemically treated group. Additionally, plant extracts enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities, improved immunoglobulin levels, normalized inflammatory and organ function biomarkers, and restored hematological parameters disrupted by Eimeria infection.

Conclusion:
The evaluated plant extracts demonstrated pronounced anticoccidial, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant effects, with efficacy comparable to that of chemical anticoccidials. These findings support the potential use of natural plant extracts as safe, effective, and sustainable alternatives for controlling coccidiosis in poultry production.

Key words: Anticoccidial activity; Broiler chickens; Coccidiosis; Drug resistance; Plant extracts.