Volume 232, 15 December 2016, Pages 58–65
- a Departamento de Parasitología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
- b Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Toluca, Mexico
- c Departamento de Medicina y Zootecnia de Rumiantes, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
- Received 10 July 2016, Revised 7 October 2016, Accepted 8 November 2016, Available online 9 November 2016
Highlights
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- Citrus extracts exert an anticoccidial effect.
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- Citrus extracts and toltrazuril have antioxidant properties.
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- Nitric oxide production lowers in lambs after Citrus extracts ingestion.
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- Toltrazuril decreases nitric oxide generation.
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- Anticoccidial efficacy may be related to pharmacokinetic profiles of extracts.
Abstract
The current study aimed to determine the anti-Eimeria
efficacy of an extract of grapefruit peels (GF) and commercial
naringenin (NAR) in naturally-infected lambs, as well as the influence
of these flavonoids on the oxidative status during ovine coccidiosis.
Pharmacokinetic profiles were also determined. Extracts were
administered per os to Eimeria naturally infected
growing lambs during 90 consecutive days. The commercial anticoccidial
drug toltrazuril (TTZ) was included in this trial as a standard.
Twenty-four lambs were divided into four groups: NAR, lambs given a
daily dose of 5 mg of a commercial naringenin extract of 98% higher
purity per kg body weight; GF, lambs that recived a daily dose of 5 mg
of ethanolic extract of grapefruit peels per kg body weight; TTZ, lambs
treated with 20 mg of toltrazuril/kg body weight on days 0 and 15 of the
experiment; and CTRL, untreated lambs that received daily dose of 30 ml
of water. Daily doses of GF and NAR were dissolved in 30 ml of water
and orally given to animals; whereas toltrazuril was administered as a
single dose of an undiluted suspension to lambs of the TTZ group. The
CTRL group received 30 ml of water; as well as the TTZ group for the
period after the single dose administration. Fecal and serum samples
were collected from all lambs. Anticoccidial efficacy was estimated by
coprological techniques. Generation of nitric oxide levels and the
antioxidant capacity of the experimental compounds were determined by
the Griess and ABTS assays, respectively. The pharmacokinetic parameters
of NAR and the GF extract were obtained. On day 30 post-ingestion,
anticoccidial efficacy was 91.76% (NAR) and 89.65% (GF); whereas 99.63%
of efficacy was achieved with TTZ 15 days after treatment. NAR, GF and
TTZ significantly reduced oxidative stress in infected animals. The mean
daily weight gain for each group was 122 g (NAR), 122 g (GF), 143 g
(TTZ) and 98 g (CTRL). Following the oral administration of NAR and GF,
values in plasma approached maximum concentrations within 2.1 to 2.5 h.
In conclusion, the administration of NAR and the GF extract reduced Eimeria oocyst output, oxidative stress and promoted higher mean daily weight gains in infected lambs.
Graphical abstract
Keywords
- Citrus;
- Coccidiosis Eimeria spp.;
- Grapefruit peel extract;
- Naringenin
© 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
