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Effects of artemisinin in broiler chickens following chronic oral intake

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An Editorial Expression of Concern to this article was published on 05 June 2024

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Abstract

Artemisinin has been used for centuries to treat malaria, intestinal tract helminthosis, diarrhea, and used as an antipyretic and sedative agent, but the usage in veterinary medicine is a new field. Recently, it has been used successfully to control experimental poultry coccidiosis. The present study aimed to determine the effects of different doses of artemisinin in broiler chickens with chronic usage. Sixty birds divided into one control and four treatment groups that fed rations mixed with artemisinin at doses of 17, 34, 68, and 136 ppm for 36 days. During the experiment, birds showed no clinical signs except anemia. In microscopic examinations, heart, lung, and spleen had no lesion, but liver, kidney, and brain showed various lesions. Degenerative lesions like intracytoplasmic eosinophilic inclusions were seen in both kidney and liver but fatty change was seen only in liver. There was no relationship between severity of the liver lesions and drug dosage. Central chromatolysis, scattered neuronal necrosis, and mild spongy changes were observed in five regions of the brain that were chosen for sectioning (motor cortex, cerebellar nuclei, midbrain nuclei, and hindbrain nuclei at two separate levels). Severity of lesions in brain was dose-dependent, and cerebral cortex was the most vulnerable area. Haematologic tests showed lower values for hematocrit and red blood cell count dose-dependently. In conclusion, artemisinin is a promising drug for prevention and control of coccidiosis in broiler chickens and its side effects are not too much serious especially at therapeutic doses.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank A. Baninajar, R. Agha Ebrahim Samani, and M. Baharloo for their technical support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran

    Amir Ali Shahbazfar

  2. Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

    Seyed Hossein Mardjanmehr

  3. Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

    Hossein Ali Arab & Ali Rassouli

  4. Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran

    Mohammad Abdollahi

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  1. Amir Ali Shahbazfar
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  2. Seyed Hossein Mardjanmehr
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  3. Hossein Ali Arab
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  5. Mohammad Abdollahi
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Correspondence to Seyed Hossein Mardjanmehr.

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Shahbazfar, A.A., Mardjanmehr, S.H., Arab, H.A. et al. Effects of artemisinin in broiler chickens following chronic oral intake. Trop Anim Health Prod 43, 843–849 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-010-9771-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-010-9771-3

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