Abstract
Anticorcidial screening of Mella azedarach, Lina. seeds (Hakain)
was carcied out in chickens naturally infected with a mixed gastro.
intestinal Eimeria infection. Powdered Metia azedarach seeds were
administered orally in doses of 10,15 and 20 mg/kg body weight
and their water and methanol extracts in amounts equivalent to 20
mg/kg of the powder were also administered. Ag & control drug
Amprol! Plus (R) was administered orally, Faecal oocysts per gram
(OPG) counts were made by the Stoll with Hauscheer’s technique,
Melia azedarach powder as well as its extracts in methanol and water
Significantly (P <0.05) reduced the OPG counts at the dosage levels of
10,15 and 20mg/kg. The percentage reductions inOPG counts on the
3rd, 10th and 15th days after administration of }0 mg/kg body
weight of the drug were 7.2 + 3.2, 12 + 7.5 and 21 + 4,0, respec.
tively, Treatment with 15 ng/kg body weight of the Melia “azedarach
powder produced 18 + 5, 28 + & and 32 + 11 percent reductions
on days 3rd, [0th and Isth, respective. The respectively OPG
reductions in the group treated with 20 mg/ke were 20 + 7,
68 + 13 and 83 + 19 percent. The OPG count reductions at this
dose were non-significanttly different from that of contro] drug on
day 15th. The aqueous extract equivalent to 20 mg/kg body weight
of the powder produced percentage reductions of 23 + 6, 69 + 10
and 66 + 16 0n 3rd, 10th and 15th days post-treatment, respectively.
The OPG reductiuns ptoduced by the methanol extract of Melia
azedarach were 13 + 6, 59 + 18 and 79 + 14 percent on days |
3rd, 10th and 25th, respectively, Showing 2 Non-significant (P'>0.05)
difference in the OPG count reduction from the control drug on the
{3th day.