Clinicopathological Studies on the Effect of Artemisia cina (Sheih Baladi) on Coccidiosis in Chickens

THIS EXPERIMENT was conducted to determine the effect of ……. Artemisia cina on coccidiosis in poultry. A total of one hundred and fifty broiler chicks were divided to five equal groups, first group kept as control, second group was orally infected with 1X10⁴of Eimeria tenella  oocysts. Third group was infected with the same dose of Eimeria tenella and treated with Artemisia water extract. Fourth group was infected with the same dose of Eimeria tenella  and treated by Toltrazuril and fifth group treated by Artemisia and non-infected.  The birds of all groups were kept under observation for 3 weeks post infection.  Group II showed increased mortality rate (16.7%), with very high oocyste shedding 12 X 10⁴ at the 6^thday post infection, increased total leucocytic count mainly heterophil, monocyte & eosinophil, and reduction of body weight as well as anemia. Liver function test showed increased in the activity of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) accompanied with hypoproteinemia and hypoalbuminemia. While, kidney function test showed increase in the level of uric acid and creatinine. Artemisia water extract treatment relatively minimize the infection, lowered mortality rate and oocyste shedding after and returned the liver and kidney function activities to normal level gradually as nearly as Toltrazuril. Also, Artemisia water extract induces significant increase in body weight of broiler as well as increased lymphocytic count, gamma and beta globulin, these findings indicating that Artemisia has a good effect on the immunity of the bird as compared with the group of chicks treated with Toltrazuril. It could be concluded that Artemisia were effective for controlling coccidia and have positive effect on body weight and survival rates nearly as Toltrazuril.