Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40660229›Full record

ArticleBMC veterinary research2025

In vitro and in vivo effectiveness of essential oils against coccidia in Black Livorno chickens.

Alessia Zoroaster, Marta Raffaelli, Manuela Diaferia, Fabrizia Veronesi, Margherita Marzoni Fecia di Cossato, Barbara Contiero, Roberto Marani, Antonio Frangipane di Regalbono, Stefania Perrucci

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In one paragraph

Article in BMC veterinary research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Alessia Zoroaster *Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, Legnaro (Agripolis), Padova, 35020, Italy. alessia.zoroaster@phd.unipd.it.
Marta Raffaelli *Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale Delle Piagge 2, Pisa, 56124, Italy.
Manuela DiaferiaDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Via San Costanzo 4, Perugia, 06126, Italy.
Fabrizia VeronesiDepartment of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Via San Costanzo 4, Perugia, 06126, Italy.
Margherita Marzoni Fecia di CossatoDepartment of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale Delle Piagge 2, Pisa, 56124, Italy.
Barbara ContieroDepartment of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, Legnaro (Agripolis), Padova, 35020, Italy.
Roberto MaraniLa Veterinaria s.r.l., Via A. Einstein 6/8/10, Ponte San Giovanni, Perugia, 06135, Italy.
Antonio Frangipane di Regalbono *Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, Viale dell'Università 16, Legnaro (Agripolis), Padova, 35020, Italy.
Stefania Perrucci *Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Pisa, Viale Delle Piagge 2, Pisa, 56124, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCoccidiosis remains a major challenge in poultry farming due to the drug-resistance phenomena in Eimeria strains and the possible risk of accumulation of anticoccidial residues in poultry-derived products. Essential oils (EOs) and their bioactive constituents are being considered for their potential role as alternative control strategies. The present study evaluated the in vitro efficacy of thymol, carvacrol, cinnamic aldehyde, eugenol, and a commercial EO blend (namely Energy Poultry, EP) against Eimeria spp., as well as the in vivo efficacy of thymol and EP (supplemented at 5 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg of feed, respectively) in growing chickens.

resultsIn vitro assays demonstrated that thymol and carvacrol significantly disrupted oocyst integrity and inhibited sporulation at concentrations ≥ 2%, with maximal degeneration rates of 96% and 90%, respectively, at 10%. Cinnamic aldehyde reduced sporulation by 79%, whereas eugenol showed minimal efficacy. The potential synergistic effect between carvacrol and cinnamic aldehyde of EP resulted in a marked reduction in oocyst viability (~ 90%). Based on these findings, thymol and EP were selected for in vivo evaluation in a native Italian egg-type chicken breed, the Black Livorno. Despite not significant, dietary supplementation (thymol: 5 mg/kg; EP: 50 mg/kg) led to a reduction in oocyst per gram (OPG) values from day 78 onward compared to the control group in which the highest oocyst excretion persisting for an extended period. Growth performance (average daily gain and feed conversion ratio) was not affected, indicating no adverse effects of thymol and EP supplementation. Despite the presence of highly pathogenic Eimeria species (E. tenella, E. necatrix), no clinical signs were observed, probably due to the possible low parasitic burden and breed's inherent resistance.

conclusionsThe obtained findings suggest that while evaluated EO constituents exhibited promising anticoccidial effects in vitro, their in vivo efficacy may be dose-dependent, influenced by infection pressure and host factors. Further research is warranted to optimise tested EOs inclusion levels and assess their long-term impact on coccidiosis control in poultry production systems.

Indexed as

ChickensCoccidiosisCoccidiostatsEimeriaOils, VolatilePoultry DiseasesAcroleinAnimal FeedAnimalsCymenesOocystsThymolAcroleincarvacrolcinnamaldehydeCoccidiostatsCymenesOils, VolatileThymolCoccidiosisEimeriaEssential oilsIn vitro efficacyIn vivo efficacyLocal breedPoultry

Identifiers

PMID40660229
PMCPMC12257793

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.