Anticoccidial effects of Artemisia annua ethanolic extract: prevention, simultaneous challenge-medication, and treatment

The effect of Artemisia annua ethanolic extract (AE) as a potential source of herbal anticoccidial activity was investigated on experimental coccidiosis in chicken. One hundred ninety-two one-day-old chicks were divided in to 8 groups ( n = 24) including AE prevention group, AE-treated group, simultaneously challenged AE-medicated group, challenged-untreated group (positive control), unchallenged-untreated group (negative control), salinomycine prevention group, salinomycine-treated group, and simultaneously challenged salinomycine-medicated group, in a completely randomized design. Oral challenge carried out by a suspension containing a mixture of 200,000 oocysts Eimeria acervulina , 30,000 oocysts Eimeria necatrix , and 20,000 oocysts Eimeria tenella on day 21 of age. Weight gain in AE prevention group significantly increased compared to positive control group ( p