Investigating the effects of essential oils and pure botanical compounds against Eimeria tenella in vitro

• DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2023.102898
• Publication Date: 2023-07-06T06:05:48Z
• Authors: Martina Felici; Benedetta Tugnoli; Federico Ghiselli; David Baldo; Claudio Ratti; Andrea Piva; Ester Grilli
• Keywords: Carvacrol; Salinomycin; Thymol

Essential oils (EO) and natural bioactive compounds are well-known antibacterial anti-inflammatory factors; however, little is known about their anticoccidial activity mode of action. EO deriving from basil (BEO), garlic (GAR), oregano (OEO) thyme (TEO) main were investigated for proprieties compared to salinomycin (SAL) amprolium (AMP) in vitro. The invasion Eimeria tenella sporozoites was studied on two cell models: Madin-Darby Bovine Kidney (MDBK) cells primary chicken epithelial (cIEC). Invasion efficiency evaluated at 2 24 hours post infection (hpi) with counts extracellular by detection intracellular E. DNA PCR. Results show that both timepoints, the most effective preventing an average reduction hpi 36% cIEC 55% MDBK. study also examined cytokine gene expression found AMP, BEO, OEO, TEO carvacrol (CAR) thymol (THY) significantly reduced interleukin (IL)8 expression, CAR reducing IL1β IL6 infected control. In addition, this work morphology treated drugs using a scanning electron microscope. All treatments induced morphological anomalies, characterized area, perimeter length sporozoites. SAL had significant impact altering sporozoite shape only h, while THY compromised already hpi, untreated OEO GAR showed alterations among all treatments. findings highlight potential as alternative traditional controlling modulating immune response.