title: Prophylactic and therapeutic effects of a novel granulated formulation of Artemisia extract on broiler coccidiosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Coccidiosis is an important parasitic disease in poultry industry. Owing to the development of drug resistance against Eimeria and concerns about drug residues, attentions toward the alternative compounds including herbal medicines have been increased. This study aimed to examine the prophylactic and therapeutic effects of a new formulation derived from Artemisia sieberi extract on avian coccidiosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The extract was obtained from A. sieberi using petroleum ether, and then, it was formulated into a wet granule. Three hundred and sixty 1-day-old broilers were divided into six groups, each with three replicates (n = 20); the first group was chosen as the noninfected control group and the remainders were challenged by oral administration of 250,000 oocysts of Eimeria tenella per chick on day 21. Group 2 (as nontreated control) received no treatment, but group 3 (as prophylactic group) received 0.5 mg/kg artemisinin 10 days before challenging with E. tenella. However, groups 4, 5, and 6 received 1 mg/kg artemisinin on the next day and at 24 and 48 h after the challenge, respectively, for 5 days. Mortality rate, bloody diarrhea score, lesion score, and oocysts per gram (OPG) of feces were used to determine the anticoccidial effects of the formulation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The granule significantly (p < 0.05) reduced mortality, diarrhea, and lesion score in the treated groups. The OPG output was also significantly (p < 0.0001) reduced in the groups that received formulation. However, there was no significant difference between the prophylactic and therapeutic groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggested that this new formulation is a promising herbal medicine that can be used as a prophylactic or therapeutic product to control avian coccidiosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Shahrekord, Shahrekord, Iran.
authors.forename: Jahangir
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kaboutari
authors.forename: Hossien Ali
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Arab
authors.forename: Kambiz
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ebrahimi
authors.forename: Sadegh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rahbari
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019306:Artemisia / Q000737:chemistry*; D002645:Chickens; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D003049:Coccidiostats / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016786:Eimeria tenella; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D003049:Coccidiostats; D010936:Plant Extracts