Anticoccidial activity and biochemical effect of Parkia biglobosa extract in Eimeria tenella infected broiler chickens

Parkia biglobosa is widely used in Nigerian ethnomedicine for treating avian coccidiosis and other diseases. This study evaluated the anticoccidial efficacy of P. biglobosa extract (PBE) and its influence on serum biochemical and haematological parameters in broiler chickens experimentally infected with Eimeria tenella. One hundred and twenty broiler chicks were randomly allocated to six groups (n = 20). On day 21, groups A–E were orally challenged with 40,000 sporulated oocysts of E. tenella. Treatment commenced on day 7 post-infection (dpi), with groups A, B, and C receiving PBE at doses of 250, 125, and 62.5 mg/kg respectively. Group D received Amprolium (1 g/L in water), group E remained infected but untreated, and group F was non-infected and non-treated. The parameters assessed included lesion score, oocyst shedding, faecal score, feed conversion ratio (FCR), survival rate, serum enzyme levels, and haematological profiles. PBE significantly reduced oocyst counts and lesion scores, and improved haematological profiles and FCR in a dose-dependent manner, comparable to Amprolium, PBE also normalised serum ALT, LDH, and creatinine levels. These results support the potential use of P. biglobosa as a natural anti-coccidial agent.