Abstract
Avian coccidiosis is one of the most important diseases of poultry and it is responsible for a large number of all broiler mortalities worldwide. The control of this disease relies mainly on the use of anticoccidial drugs. However, herbal preparations could be an alternative for the treatment against coccidiosis in chickens. The direct effects of Moringa oleifera acetone extracts on broiler chickens naturally infected with mixed Eimeria species was investigated to determine the relative efficacy of the extracts against coccidiosis in birds. The investigations were carried out in seven groups (ten chickens per group). The birds were given various doses (1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0 g/kg body weight) of acetone extract of leaves of M. toltrazuril® (positive control) and untreated (negative control). The extract was evaluated for anticoccidial activity by means of inhibition of oocyst output in faeces, faecal score, weight gain and mortality. Haematological indices were evaluated by standard methods. The group treated with 1.0 g/ kg body weight Moringa oleifera extract produced the least inhibitory effect on oocyst shed in the faeces (96.4 %), while the groups treated with 2.0 g/kg, 3.0 g/kg, 4.0 g/kg and 5.0 g/kg body weight of the extract produced 97.4, 98.7, 99.1 and 99.8 %, respectively. Body weight gains of infected chickens treated with the extract significantly improved (p < 0.05), and faecal scores were milder. Packed cell volume, haemoglobin concentration and red blood count of the treated birds were significantly (p < 0.05) higher than those of the infected untreated group. Moringa oleifera leaves could find application in the treatment of avian coccidiosis in veterinary practice.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abbas, R.Z., Iqbal, Z., Khan, M.N., Zafar, M.A., and Zia, M.A. 2010. Anticoccidial Activity of Curcuma longa L. in Broilers. Brazil Archival Biology and Technology 53(1), 63–67.
Allen, P.C. and Fetter R.H., 2002. “Recent advances in biology and immunobiology of Eimeria species and in diagnosis and control of infection with these coccidian parasites of poultry.” Clinical Microbiology Review 15, 58–65
Allen, P.C., Danforth, H.D. and Augustine, P.C. 1998. Dietary modulation of avian coccidiosis. Interenational Journal of Parasitology 28, 1131–1140.
Anwar, F., Ashraf, M. and Bhanger M.I. 2005. Interprovenance variation in the composition of Moringa oleifera oilseeds from Pakistan. Journal American Oil Chemical Society 82, 45–51.
Awodele, O., Oreagba, I.A., Odoma S., da Silva, J.A. and Osunkalu, V.O. 2012. Toxicological evaluation of the aqueous leaf extract of Moringa oleifera Lam. (Moringaceae). Journal of Ethnopharmacology 139(2), 330–336
Booth, F.E.M. and Wickens, G.E., 1988. Non-timber uses of selected arid zone trees and shrubs in Africa. FAO conservation guide, Rome, pp 92–101.
Chapman, H.D. 1997. “Biochemical, genetic and applied aspects of drug resistance in Eimeria parasites of the fowl,” Avian Pathology 26, 221–244.
Dillard, C.J. and German, J.B. 2000. Phytochemicals: nutraceuticals and human health: A review. Journal of Science, Food and Agriculture 80, 1744–1756.
Ellakany, H.F., Abuakkada, S.S., Oda, S.S. and El-Sayed Y.S. 2011. Influence of low levels of dietary aflatoxins on Eimeria tenella infections in broilers. Tropical Animal Health and Production 43, 249–257.
Eloff, J.N. 1998. Which extract should be used for the screening and isolation of antimicrobial components from plants. Journal of Ethnopharmacol., 60, 1–8.
Estrella, M.C.P., Mantaring, J.B.V. and David, G.Z. 2000. A double blind, randomised controlled trial on the use of malunggay (Moringa oleifera) for augmentation of the volume of breast milk among non-nursing mothers of preterm infants. Philippine Journal of Pediatrician 49, 3–6.
Farooq, A., Sajid, L., Muhammad, A. and Anwarul, H. G. 2007. Moringa oleifera: A Food Plant with Multiple Medicinal Uses. Phytotherapy Research 21, 17–25.
Goldenfarb, P.B., Bowyer, F.P., Hall, T. and Brosious, E. 1971. Reproducibility in the hematology laboratory: the microhematocrit determination, American Journal Clinical Pathology 52: 35–36.
Holdsworth, P.A., Conway, D.P., McKenzie, M.E., Dayton, A.D., Chapman, H.D., Mathis, G.F., Skinner, J.T., Mundt, H.C. and Williams, R.B. 2004. World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology (WAAVP) guidelines for evaluating the efficacy of anticoccidial drugs in chickens and turkeys, Veterinary Parasitology 121, 189–212.
Jain, N.C. 1986. Schalm's veterinary haematology. Lea and Febiger, Schalm's Veterinary Haematology, 4th ed. Philadelphia: Lea. Febiger, pp. 71–74.
Koinarski, V., Georgieva, N., Gadjeva, V. and Petkov, P. 2005. Antioxidant status of broiler chickens infected with Eimeria acervulina. Review Médical Véterinari 156 (10), 498–502.
Marizvikuru, M., Evison, B., Michael, C. and Tinyiko, E. H. 2005. Use of Herbal Plants in Poultry Health Management in the Mushagashe Small-Scale Commercial Farming Area in Zimbabwe. International Journal of Applied Research in Veterinary Medicine 3, (2), 163–170
McDougald, L.R. and Reid, W.M. 1997. Coccidiosis. In: B.W. Calnek(Eds). Diseases of Poultry. 10th Ed. (Iowa State University Press, Ames), pp 865–883.
Naidoo, V., McGaw, L.J., Bisschop, S.P.R., Duncan, N. and Eloff, J.N. 2008. The value of plant extracts with antioxidant activity in attenuating coccidiosis in broiler chickens. Veterinary Parasitology 153, 214–219.
Oduro, I., Ellis, W.O. and Owusu, D. 2008. Nutritional potential of two leafy vegetables: Moringa Oleifera and Impomea batatas leaves. Science Research Essay 3(2), 57–60.
Ogbe A.O. and John P. A. 2012. Effect of Polyherbal Aqueous Extracts (Moringa oleifera, Gum arabic and wild Ganoderma lucidum) in Comparison with Antibiotic on Growth Performance and Haematological Parameters of Broiler Chickens. Research Journal of Recent Science 1(7), 10–18.
Oyagbemi, T.O. and Adejinmi, J.O. 2012. Supplementation of broiler feed with leaves of Vernonia amygdalina and Azadirachta indica protected birds naturally infected with Eimeria sp. African Journal of Biotechnology 11(33), pp. 8407–8413.
Rao Zahid, A., Zafar, I., Muhammad, N. K., Muhammad, A. Z. and Muhammad, A. Z. 2010. Anticoccidial Activity of Curcuma longa L. in Broilers. Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology 53, 63–67,
Shirley, M.W., Smith, A.L., and Tomley, F.M. 2005. The biology of avian Eimeria with an emphasis on their control by vaccination. Advance Parasitology 60, 285–330.
Siddhuraju, P. and Becker, K. 2003. Antioxidant properties of various solvent extracts of total phenolic constituents from three different agro-climatic origins of drumstick tree (Moringa oleifera Lam.). Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry 15, 2144–2155.
Vassilev, D.G. 2002. Special modification of Mc Master, In: B. Cumming (ed), Manual of veterinary parasitological techniques. (Central Veterinary Laboratory, London).
Youn, H.J. and Noh, J.W. 2001. Screening of the anticoccidial effects of herb extracts against Eimeria tenella. Veterinary Parasitology 96, 257–263.
Youn, H.J., Kang, Y.B. and Jang, D.H. 1993. Effects of γ-irradiation from cobalt-60 on pathogenicity of Eimeria tenella. Korean Journal of Veterinary Research, 33, 649–655.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ola-Fadunsin, S.D., Ademola, I.O. Direct effects of Moringa oleifera Lam (Moringaceae) acetone leaf extract on broiler chickens naturally infected with Eimeria species . Trop Anim Health Prod 45, 1423–1428 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-013-0380-9
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-013-0380-9