Therapeutic efficacy of geranium-thymol combination against murine eimeriosis with reference to its apoptotic activity

Eimeria is among the most harmful parasites that affect domestic animals. The development resistance in Eimeria to the majority of regularly used anticoccidials necessitates development of an effective alternative strategy. This study was therefore aimed to investigate the therapeutic efficacy of essential oils combination, Pelargonium graveolens (geranium) with thymol (PGT) against Eimeria papillata murine model. Three doses of 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg were tested in Eimeria experimentally infected mice to determine the combination's highest effective dose. The results showed that the 150 mg/kg dose was the most effective, reducing the oocyst output by 56.92 % (P <= 0.001). This result has been associated with a 66.19 % (P <= 0.001) reduction in the jejunal developmental stages. The antioxidant effect of PGT decreased lipid peroxidation (P <= 0.05) and increasing reduced glutathione (GSH) (P <= 0.001). Moreover, PGT decreased the jejunum's apoptotic cell count (P <= 0.001). The in vitro results showed that PGT significantly inhibited oocysts sporulation and destructed 96.33 % of treated oocysts. In conclusion, PGT has therapeutic effect as an anticoccidial alternative to control murine eimeriosis.