Therapeutic Effects of Liquid, Hydro Alcohol Extracts of Calotropis spp. and Butalex, against Haemoproteus spp. Infection in Pigeons

In this study, the therapeutic effect of liquid and hydroalchol extracts of Calotropis spp. and Butalex on Haemoproteus spp. infection in pigeons was evaluated. In the first course of treatment, 24 infected and 6 non-infected pigeons with Haemoproteus spp. were selected from a pigeon flock by blood smear examination. Then, the pigeons were divided into 5 groups of six each. The liquid and hydroalcholic extracts of Calotropis were orally administered to groups 1 and 2 with 0.3 mg/kg dose for 7 days. Butalex (anti-Theileria) was intramusculary injected to the pigeons of Group 3 at once with 2.5 mg/kg dose, and groups 4 and 5 were regarded as control positive and negative with no administration drugs. At the end of the study, the blood smears were again prepared from wing vein in the pigeons of different groups and microscopically examined to calculate the parasitemia rate. The results showed that in group 3 (Butalex treatment), the prasitemia rate of infected pigeons reached zero percent (p<0.005), whereas in groups 2 and 3 the parasitemia rate did not change (P>0.05). In the second course of treatment, the infected and non-infected pigeons were divided into 5 groups of six pigeons each. The liquid extract of Calotropis with a concentration of 10 and 1000 times of initial dose was orally administred to groups 1 and 2 for 7 days. The liquid extract with a concentration of 100 times of initial dose was intramuscularly injected. The groups 4 and 5 were regarded as control positive and negative with no administration drugs. At the end of the study, the blood smears were prepared from a pigeon in each of the different groups and microscopically examined to calculate the parasitemia rate. The parasitemia rate in each of the treatment groups did not change either (P>0.05). Based on the results of two courses of treatment, liquid and hydroalcholic extracts of Clatropis spp. did not have any therapeutic effects on Haemoproteus spp. in pigeons; however, it was evident that Butalex can be used as an effective drug for the treatment of Haemoproteus infection in pigeons.