European Journal of Nutrition & Food Safety

Coccidiosis is a major parasitic disease affecting chickens and is a significant factor in the decline of their zootechnical performance. Conventional control methods rely on synthetic anticoccidial drugs, which pose risks to both animal and human health. This has prompted growing interest in natural alternatives, particularly medicinal plants. Alchornea cordifolia, a plant native to Côte d'Ivoire and widely used in traditional medicine, is known for its diverse therapeutic properties. Phytochemical screening of the aqueous leaf extract revealed the presence of sterols, polyterpenes, polyphenols, quinones, alkaloids, and catechic tannins. The LD₅₀, determined in accordance with OECD guideline 423, indicated that the extract is non-toxic at doses of 2000 and 5000 mg/kg body weight in Wistar rats. The study evaluated the effects of A. cordifolia aqueous extract on weight gain, feed conversion ratio, lesion scores, and clinical appearance in broiler chickens. The results showed no adverse impact on zootechnical performance. Furthermore, the extract demonstrated anticoccidial efficacy against Eimeria-induced coccidiosis. After seven days of treatment, oocyst counts dropped significantly across the three experimental groups: from 102,300 to 200 OPG in the control group (treated with a conventional anticoccidial), from 86,350 to 4,200 OPG in the group treated with 5 g/L of the extract, and from 21,400 to 3,500 OPG in the group treated with 10 g/L. These results suggest that A. cordifolia leaf extract exhibits promising anticoccidial activity and may be considered as a potential alternative in poultry health management.