To study the anticoccidial effects of areca nut extract (ANE) on
coccidiosis, 270 one-day old Wenchang broiler chicks were divided into six equal groups, each with three replicate cages (n = 15 per cage). The six groups were the blank control group (BC), negative control group (NC), positive control group (PC), and three ANE-treated groups. The birds in the three control groups (BC, NC and PC) were fed a basal diet without ANE supplementation. The birds in the three ANE-treated groups were fed a basal diet supplied with ANE at 100 (T1), 200 (T2), or 300 (T3) mg/kg feed. At 15 days of age, the birds in the NC, PC and the three ANE groups were challenged orally with 1 × 105Eimeria tenella oocysts per chick. At 48 h after oocysts inoculation, the birds in group PC were supplied
diclazuril with
drinking water for 5 days. The results showed that ANE and
diclazuril significantly improved feed intake and
body weight gain (P < 0.05) relative to the NC group. Both ANE and
diclazuril significantly (P < 0.05) reduced OPG on day 4-9 post-inoculation (p.i.) relative to the NC group. Coccidial
infection damaged the integrity of the cecal mucosa and thickened cecal tunica muscularis. ANE and
diclazuril mitigated the mucosal damage caused by coccidial
infection. Diet ANE supplementation reduced the cecal lesion scores compared to the NC group (P < 0.05). ANE and
diclazuril increased
nitric oxide (NO) levels at 3 days p.i., but reduced NO levels at 6 days p.i. (P < 0.05) compared to the NC group. Diet ANE supplementation increased the concentration of
interleukin 2 (IL-2) in infected chicken relative to the NC group. The current results showed the anticoccidial properties, and beneficial effect on intestinal mucosa damage of ANE in broiler chicks challenged with
coccidiosis.