IN VITRO ANTICOCCIDIAL EFFECTS OF DAFLON® 500 mg ON Eimeria tenella OOCYSTS

Abstract

Avian coccidiosis is an intestinal infection caused by an intracellular parasitic protozoan of the genus Eimeria. Synthetic anticoccidial drugs are generally used to control coccidiosis. However, coccidial resistance has reduced the effectiveness of these agents. To overcome the alarming situation of resistance, integrated approaches such as the use of phytochemical substances with antioxidant activity may be the required practices for the control of coccidiosis in poultry. This study was carried out to examine the in vitro anticoccidial effect of Daflon 500® mg (DF) on Eimeria tenella oocysts. Sporulation inhibition and sporozoites viability assays were employed to evaluate the activity of DF on E. tenella oocysts. The experimental set-up was incubated at room temperature and examined after 48 hours. Daflon® 500 mg exhibited good anti-sporulation and anti-sporozoidal activities against E. tenella oocysts in a concentration dependent manner. There was a significant difference (p < 0.001) in the sporulation inhibition activity, with the highest (100.00 ± 0.00) activity recorded at 40 mg/mL and the lowest activity (72.30 ± 0.88) at 2.5 mg/mL concentration of DF after 48 hours of incubation. The highest (p < 0.001) viability inhibitory activity of 100.00 ± 0.00 at a concentration of 40 mg/mL of DF against E. tenella sporozoites was also recorded. It is concluded that DF possesses good anti and anti-sporozoidal activity against E. tenella.