Efficacy of Mercurius-corrosives and Amprolium (Allop Rx) in experimental Caecal coccidiosis Against body wt gain of broiler chicks
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 2003 Jan / Feb VOL V NO 1.
Dr C J Hiwari

Key words: Experimental caecal coccidiosis, Mercurius-corrosives, Amprolium, body weight gain.

Abstract
The present communication is related to study the efficacy of homoeopathic medicine against the experimental caecal coccidiosis (induced by giving 50,000 sporulated oocyst dose of E tenella) caused by E tenella in broiler chicks. The body weight in grams was studied during the experimental period and it was observed that the body weight in group B (989.16) is lower and in other groups which were healthy controlled and treated with Amprolium, Mercurius-corrosives 30 X, 200 X, 1M and 10 M potencies showed on increased trend in body weight; and is higher in group A (healthy control) 1380.5 G. However the body weight gain in Amprolium treated group was 1202.5 G and treated with Mercurius-corrosives 30X, 200 X, 1M and 10M potencies was 1267.5, 1251.33, 1169.16 and 1157.5 G respectively in 6^th week of age, 3^rd post infection week. Therefore the homoeopathic medicine Mercurius-c 30X and 200 X potencies showed better effects on weight gain than other treated groups.

Introduction
Coccidiosis is a major disease affecting poultry. For effective treatments, control of caecal coccidiosis and to combat the development of drug resistance, new types of anticoccidial drugs are manufactured and tried from time to time. In this light, in this present study, the homoeopathic medicine Mercurius-corrosives was tried against the experimental caecal coccidiosis in broiler chicks as treatment and control.

Materials and Methods
1. 210 one day old broiler chicks were obtained from a commercial hatchery.
2. Randomly divided into seven groups of 30 each.
3. Maintained in a coccidian free atmosphere.
4. Group A served as control, Group B to G was infected with 50,000 sporulated oocysts of E tenella on 23^rd day of age. Group B was infected untreated and Group C was infected and treated with allopathic drug Amprolium. Group D, E, F and G was infected and homoeopathic medicine Mercurius-corrosives 30X, 200 X, and average body weight gain recorded at weekly intervals up to sixth week.

Results and Discussion
The body weights of birds in different groups are shown in Table 1 and Figure 1. The mean body weights in all the groups varied from 101.46 to 106.66 G, during the first week, 219.66 to 244.86 G in second week, and 364.66 to 392.33 G, during the third week. The differences in the weights among different groups during the three weeks pre-infection period were not significant.
During the first post-infection week (fourth week) the body weights of infected groups were not significantly different 525.00 to 646.66 G. The infected and treated birds in Groups C to G had significantly higher body weight 816.66 to 885.00 G, during the third post-infection week (fifth week)
Among treated infected birds (Group C to G) the body weights at the end of the fifth week were 816.66 to 885.00 G. During the third post-infection week (sixth week) the infected and treated birds in Groups C to G had also significantly higher body weights 1157.5 to 1267.5 G than the untreated infected birds in Group B 989.16 G.

The body weight of healthy controlled birds in Group A was significantly higher 1380.5 G than the treated infected birds in Groups C 1157.5 to 1267.5 G at the end of the sixth week.
From the data of body weights in different groups it is evident that the overall body weight gain among the healthy control birds was highest 1273.84 G for those treated with Mercurius-c different potencies and Amprolium.
From the data it is also apparent that among the infected groups, treatment with Mercurius-c 30 X and 200 X potencies Group D and E had better growth promoting effect 1162.77 and 1145.00 G than treatment with Amprolium 1096.97 Group C and treatment with Mercurius-c 1M and 10M potencies group F and G 1067.7 and 1054.7 G as compared to the overall gain body weight of 887.16 G by the untreated infected birds (Group B).
From the above observations it is seen that all the treatment had beneficial effect on gain in body weight of the infected birds where the treatment of Mercurius- C 30 X and 200 X potencies had the best results.
The gain in body weight at the end of the sixth week i.e. third post-infection week, showed that the treatment with Mercurius-c 30X and 200 X potencies had better effects on weight gain of the birds (382.5 to 434.67 G) as compared to treatment with Amprolium 3255.84 G and Mercurius-c 1M and 10M potencies 295.84 to 300.83 G. However, during this period the gain in body weight by the uninfected control birds (Group A) 415.5 G as compared to only 236.33 G gain in body weight by infected birds (Group C to G). The homoeopathic drug Mercurius-c 30 X and 200 X potencies helped to prevent the water loss and increases water intake which in turn also affects on the weight gain.

Back