College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou Province 550025, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Veterinary Public Health of Guizhou Province (Cultivation), Guiyang, Guizhou Province 550025, PR China.
College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou Province 550025, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Diseases and Veterinary Public Health of Guizhou Province (Cultivation), Guiyang, Guizhou Province 550025, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou Province 550025, PR China.
Vet Parasitol. 2024 Oct;331:110293. doi: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2024.110293. Epub 2024 Aug 22.
Coccidiosis poses a significant challenge to the poultry industry. However, the excessive and improper use of anticoccidial drugs and vaccines has led to resistance and food safety concerns. Consequently, traditional Chinese herbs have garnered attention as a potentially safer and more effective alternative. ChangQing compound derived from various Chinese herbal medicines is a promising anticoccidiosis agent, but its therapeutic effects have not been comprehensively evaluated. This study aimed to assess the therapeutic efficacy of ChangQing Compound against Eimeria tenella-induced coccidiosis in chickens on the basis of physiological indicators, cecum lesions, and changes in microbial diversity. The comparison with the positive control group revealed the average weight gain (AWG) and anticoccidial index (ACI) of the chicks were significantly higher, in contrast, the feed conversion ratio (FCR), cecal lesion score (CLS), and oocyst count per gram of cecal content (OPG) were significantly lower (P<0.05). Notably, AWG (138.87 g), OPG (0.57 × 10), ACI (177.92), and FCR (2.51) reflected the significant therapeutic effect of the 2.5 g/L ChangQing compound treatment (CQM). Histological sections showed that the cecal villus damage and intestinal wall swelling were minimal in the CQM, consistent with the CLS (0.73). Additionally, the 2.5 g/L ChangQing compound treatment effectively prevented the decrease of red blood cells, platelets, and hemoglobin, while promoting the release of anti-inflammatory factors interleukin-10 and interleukin-4, and inhibiting the pro-inflammatory factors interferon-γ and interleukin-17. The microbial community structure in the CQM was most similar to that of the negative control group. In summary, ChangQing compound had multiple positive effects (e.g., promoting weight gain, alleviating anemia, suppressing coccidial proliferation, reducing intestinal damage, modulating immunity, and maintaining intestinal microbiota homeostasis). The study results may be relevant to developing a novel strategy for the clinical management of coccidiosis.
球虫病对家禽养殖业构成了重大挑战。然而，抗球虫药和疫苗的过度和不当使用导致了耐药性和食品安全问题。因此，中草药作为一种潜在更安全、更有效的替代品受到了关注。苍青复方是一种源自多种中草药的有前途的抗球虫药，但它的治疗效果尚未得到全面评估。本研究旨在基于生理指标、盲肠病变和微生物多样性变化，评估苍青复方对鸡柔嫩艾美耳球虫感染的治疗效果。与阳性对照组相比，发现雏鸡的平均增重（AWG）和抗球虫指数（ACI）显著提高，而饲料转化率（FCR）、盲肠病变评分（CLS）和每克盲肠内容物卵囊数（OPG）显著降低（P<0.05）。值得注意的是，AWG（138.87g）、OPG（0.57×10）、ACI（177.92）和 FCR（2.51）反映了 2.5g/L 苍青复方治疗（CQM）的显著治疗效果。组织学切片显示，CQM 中盲肠绒毛损伤和肠壁肿胀最小，与 CLS（0.73）一致。此外，2.5g/L 苍青复方治疗有效防止了红细胞、血小板和血红蛋白的减少，同时促进了抗炎因子白细胞介素-10 和白细胞介素-4 的释放，并抑制了促炎因子干扰素-γ和白细胞介素-17。CQM 中的微生物群落结构与阴性对照组最相似。总之，苍青复方具有多种积极作用（如促进增重、缓解贫血、抑制球虫增殖、减轻肠道损伤、调节免疫和维持肠道微生物群稳态）。研究结果可能与开发治疗球虫病的新临床策略有关。
