Abstract

EFFICACY OF COMMIPHORA MOLMOL EXTRACT AGAINST CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS EXPERIMENTAL INFECTION IN CHICKENS

Atta AH*, Shalaby MA and Saifan HY

ABSTRACT

This work was carried out to evaluate the effect of Commiphora molmol ethanol extract (CME) against Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens) experimental infection with 109 CFU in chickens. Experimental infection was confirmed by clinical symptoms, scores of intestinal lesions in infected chickens, morbidity and mortality rates, effects on body weight and some serum biochemical parameters and finally by isolation and identification of C. perfringens. The results showed that all non-infected chickens appeared healthy, while infected chickens showed mild, moderate or severe form of necrotic enteritis. CME (125 and 250 mg/kg, orally for 5 days) given before or after infection modified the course of the disease as mild clinical symptoms, mild or no necrotic intestinal lesions and very low morbidity and mortality rates were vreported. It also maintained body weight, normalized serum tested biochemical parameters and abrogated histopathological lesions of intestine. C. perfringens could not be re-isolated from CMEtreated chickens and can be isolated from non-treated chickens. C. perfringens was identified by analysis of its toxin using PCR to assure the experimental infection and to confirm the efficacy of CME. Our results suggest that the use of CME can protect chickens against the deleterious effects of C. perfringens infection.

Keywords: Commiphora molmol, C. perfringens, Necrotic enteritis.