Anticoccidial activity of the methanolic extract of Musa paradisiaca root in chickens

Abstract

The study was designed to evaluate the anticoccidial activity of the methanolic extract of Musa paradisiaca root in chickens. The chickens were divided into six groups of 12 chickens each. Each chicken in five groups was infected with 8,000 infective coccidia (Eimeria tenella) oocysts at day28 of age while one group served as uninfected control. At day7 post-infection, two chickens remaining in each group were sacrificed for postmortem examination to confirm coccidiosis. Also at day7 post-infection, each chicken in four infected groups was given graded doses (250, 500 and 1,000mg/kg b.w.) of the extract or amprolium (conventional drug). Two groups (an infected and uninfected group) did not receive treatment. Parameters used to assess progress of infection and response to treatment included clinical signs typical of coccidiosis, oocyst count per gramme of faeces (OPG) and packed cell volume (PCV). Treatment of previously infected chickens with M. paradisiaca root extract resulted in a progressive decrease in severity of observed clinical signs, marked reductions in OPG and a gradual increase in PCV. In each case, the changes were dose dependent. There was no significant difference in mean OPG and mean PCV of the extract (at 1,000mg/kg b.w.) and amprolium-treated groups at termination of the study (at day50 of age). In the acute toxicity study, the extract was found to be non-toxic to the chickens even at the highest dose of 4,000mg/kg b.w. The results of this study demonstrated that the extract has anticoccidial activity in a dose-dependent manner and at a dosage of 1,000mg/kg b.w. had similar efficacy with amprolium in the treatment of chicken coccidiosis.