Cassia alata Extract Exerts Antioxidant Power to Mitigate Eimeria papillata-Induced Liver Damage in Mice

This study was intended to investigate the prospective role of Cassia alata extract as an anticoccidial, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective agent against Eimeria papillata parasitic infection. Therefore, this study was intended to investigate the potential role of Cassia alata extract as an anticoccidial, anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective agent against Eimeria papillata parasitic infection.

For this investigation, a total of 25 male swiss albino mice were allocated into 5 equal groups. Group I: negative control (Cont), Group II: administrated with Cassia alata extract (CE) at a dosage of 500 mg/kg body weight, Group III: infected group with E. papillata (Inf), Group IV: infected-treated with Cassia alata extract (Inf-CE) at a dosage of 500 mg/kg body weight and Group V: infected-treated with amprolium at a dosage of 120 mg/kg body weight (Drug). Mice were infected orally with an approximate 1 × 10³E. papillata sporulated oocysts excluding I and II groups. One-hour post infection, mice of groups IV and V were received the recommended doses of treatments orally once a day for 5 sequential days. Upon treatment for 5 days, all mice were sacrificed and growth performance, histopathological, histochemical and oxidative stress assessments were examined.

An enhancement in body weight (-2.33±0.58%) and feed intake (130.33±4.51 grams) in relation to the body weight (-4.67±0.58%) and feed intake (98.00±4.36 grams) of the Inf group was observed. Improvements in liver structure alterations induced by E. papillata was recorded with a noticeable increase in its carbohydrates (6.04±0.45%) and protein (12.46±1.13%) content. Moreover, considerable reduction in hepatic nitric oxide (59.13±4.59 Umol/g) and malonaldehyde (22.07±1.20 nmol/mg) and an elevation in glutathione (18.20±1.79 ng/mg) and glutathione peroxidase (111.53±8.95 ng/mg) were documented. In summary, CE treatment could significantly ameliorate liver injury, oxidative stress and inflammatory reactions caused by E. papillata parasitic infection.