Hepato-protective effect of curcumin and silymarin against Eimeria stiedae in experimentally infected rabbits

The aim of the current study was to assess the hepato-protective role of curcumin and silymarin against Eimeria stiedae in experimentally infected rabbits. Thirty-two rabbits were randomly divided into four groups: untreated/uninfected control group (A); untreated/infected control group (B); curcumin-treated/Eimeria-infected group (C); and silymarin-treated/Eimeria-infected group (D). Animals in groups C and D were treated by a daily dose of 200 mg/kg bw and 100 mg/kg bw of curcumin and silymarin, respectively for one week before infection (the herbs were administered for 41 days). One- week post treatment, all groups except group A were infected with 5 x 10(4) sporulated oocysts of E. stiedae and followed for 34 days post infection. During the 34 days of infection, rabbits were evaluated for clinical, hematological, biochemical, pathological parameters and liver dysfunction profiles. There was no significant difference in mortality rate among the different groups of animals except for the infected group B in which 7 out of 8 rabbits died while in the treated groups C and D, 3 out of 8 died. Infection with E. stiedae significantly reduced the body weight and affected rabbit's health. The average body weight gained of A, B, C and D groups were 929, -62.46, 614 and 448.8 g, respectively. However, significant improvements in general health condition were observed in curcumin- and silymarin-treated groups. No significant differences were detected for the fecal oocyst counts between the treated and untreated groups. Moreover, the liver enzyme profiles ALT, AST and GGT did not show any significant changes in the infected groups. However, ALT level significantly decreased in groups B, C and D. ALT level was accompanied with hyperproteinemia and decreased in albumin content in comparison with the uninfected untreated control group. Moreover, E. stiedae infection induced severe histopathological lesions in the liver of all infected groups. In conclusion, curcumin or silymarin did not protect the liver from E. stiedae infection but mitigated the adverse effect of infection.