Zahid Manzoor

Anticoccidial effects of acetic acid on performance and pathogenic parameters in broiler chickens challenged with Eimeria tenella

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the anticoccidial effect of the different concentrations of the acetic acid in the broiler chickens in comparison with the amprolium anticoccidial. A total of 198 chicks were placed 11 per pen with three pens per treatment. The different concentrations (1%, 2% and 3%) of acetic acid and amproilum (at the dose rate of 125ppm) were given to the experimental groups in drinking water from 10-19th days of age. One group was kept as infected non medicated control and one as non infected non medicated control. All the groups were inoculated orally with 75,000 sporulated oocysts at the 12th day of age except non infected non medicated control. Anticoccidial effect was evaluated on the basis of performance (weight gain, feed conversion ratio) and pathogenic (oocyst score, lesion score and mortality %age) parameters. Among acetic acid medicated groups, the maximum anticoccidial effect was seen in the group medicated with 3% acetic acid followed by 2% and 1% acetic acid medicated groups. Amprolium and 3% acetic acid were almost equivalent in suppressing the negative performance and pathogenic effects associated with coccidiosis (Eimeria tenella) challenge. In summary, acetic acid has the potential to be used as alternative to chemotherapeutic drugs for Eimeria tenella control. Concentration-dependent anticoccidial effect of acetic acid suggests that further studies should be carried out to determine the possible maximum safe levels of acetic acid with least toxic effects to be used as anticoccidial.

Anticoccidial activity of hydrochloric acid (HCl) against Eimeria tenella in broiler chickens

The present study was planned to evaluate the anticoccidial activity of the different concentrations of the HCl against Eimeria tenella infection in broiler chickens in comparison with the amprolium anticoccidial. For this purpose, a total of 198 chicks were placed 11 per pen with three pens per treatment. The different concentrations of HCl (1000ppm, 2000ppm and 3000ppm) and amproilum (at the dose rate of 125ppm) were given to the experimental groups in drinking water from 10 to 19th days of age. One group was kept as infected non medicated control and one as non infected non medicated control. At the 12th day of age, all the groups were inoculated orally with 75,000 sporulated oocysts except non infected non medicated control. Anticoccidial activity was evaluated on the basis of performance (weight gain, feed conversion ratio) and pathogenic (oocyst score, lesion score and mortality %age) parameters. Among HCl medicated groups, the maximum anticoccidial effect was seen in the group medicated with 1000ppm HCl followed by 2000ppm and 3000ppm HCl medicated groups. Amprolium and 1000ppm HCl were almost equivalent in suppressing the negative performance and pathogenic effects associated with coccidiosis (Eimeria tenella) challenge. In summary, the lower doses of HCl have the potential to be used as alternative to chemotherapeutic drugs for Eimeria tenella control. It is therefore suggested that further studies should be carried out to determine the possible minimum safe levels of HCl with least toxic effects to be used as anticoccidial.

Pharmacological evaluation of Rumex vesicarius Linn leaf extract and fractions in rabbit gastrointestinal ailment

The aqueous-methanolic leaf extract and fractions of the Rumex vesicarius L. (Rv.Cr) was evaluated for the possible presence of spasmogenic and spasmolytic constituents to rationalize its traditional uses in gastrointestinal disorders. In rabbit jejunum, R. vesicarius caused a dose-dependent (0.03 to 0.3 mg/ml) weak stimulatory effect on spontaneous contractions, followed by relaxation at the next higher dose (1 mg/ml). In the presence of atropine (0.03 µM), the spasmogenic effect was abolished and the relaxant effect was obtained at lower doses (0.1 to 1.0 mg/ml) shifting the dose response curves to the left. The spasmolytic effect on the spontaneous and K + -induced contractions in atropinized preparations was mediated at doses 0.03 to 1.0 mg/ml and 0.3 to 5 mg/ml, respectively which explained the involvement of calcium channel blocking (CCB) effect. The CCB effect was confirmed when pretreatment of the tissue with R. vesicarius produced a dose-dependent shift in the Ca ++ dose-response curves to the right in a similar manner as verapamil. Activity-directed fractionations revealed that the spasmolytic effect was concentrated in methanolic fraction, while spasmogenic activity in the aqueous fraction which was remarkably stronger than aqueous-methanolic extract. This data shows that the crude leaf extract of R. vesicarius L. contains spasmogenic and spasmolytic constituents mediating their effect through cholinergic and CCB actions, respectively, which explains its traditional use in the gastrointestinal disorders such as abdominal colics and cramps, constipation and diarrhea, gestroesophagial reflux disease and irritable bowel syndrome/inflammatory bowel disease.