Botanical control of coccidiosis in ruminants

Abstract

Coccidiosis is one of the major parasitic diseases infecting almost all ruminants, including cows, buffalo, sheep, and goats. Coccidiosis is caused by the genus Eimeria, which are host-specific obligate intestinal parasites. These are found almost all over the world and cause infections leading to mortalities and morbidities. Coccidiosis is usually treated by ionophores and synthetic chemicals of various classes including ionophores and synthetic chemical drugs. These drugs have been effective against coccidiosis but emerging issues of anthelmintic resistance, public health concerns, and consumer demand for organic products are leading to minimizing the use of these drugs. Vaccination is also being used, but vaccine failure and high cost limit their use. Among alternatives, herbal medicines are promising replacements because of their complex formulations, multiple modes of action, easy availability, and cost-effectiveness. Various plants, their parts, various formulations like herbal preparations, and the active compounds found in them are being searched to control ruminant coccidiosis. Multiple groups of botanical formulations, i.e., Flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, terpenes, sulfur compounds, etc. have been proven to be effective against the ruminant coccidiosis-causing agents. They can control various stages of Eimeria directly and indirectly by antioxidant and immunomodulatory actions. Further research is needed to determine the most suitable herbal preparations and their pharmacological interactions for the effective and sustainable control of coccidiosis in ruminants. This review highlights the significance of ruminant coccidiosis, botanical compounds used against ruminant coccidiosis their mechanisms of action, and reasons and benefits of herbal compounds.