Protective and antioxidant effects of silymarin in clorsulon-treated ovine ‎fasciolosis

Fasciolosis is a parasitic disease that causes economic ‎implications. ‎In the present study, ‎silymarin's protective and antioxidant activity ‎combined with clorsulon in sheep naturally infected ‎with ‎Fasciola hepatica were investigated. For this purpose, 40 Sangsari breed sheep ‎were used, ‎which were divided into five groups, including 1- Healthy sheep without treatment 2- Ovine ‎‎fasciolosis untreated 3- Ovine fasciolosis treated with silymarin 4- Ovine fasciolosis treated with ‎‎Clorsulon, and 5- Ovine fasciolosis treated with silymarin ‎and clorsulon. ‎ ‎ Biochemical parameters including triglyceride, total bilirubin, total protein, cholesterol, and ‎albumin, were ‎measured. The serum level of malondialdehyde, total antioxidant capacity, and ‎‎hematological parameters were determined and compared between groups. ‎ Additionally, ‎histopathological changes ‎were ‎‎‎investigated using light microscopy. ‎ Biochemical analysis showed ‎significant ‎bilirubin levels, total protein, cholesterol, and albumin in ovine fasciolosis treated with ‎silymarin ‎and clorsulon group (p<0.05). Total antioxidant capacity increased in groups treated with ‎silymarin (p<0.05) and in ovine fasciolosis ‎‎treated with silymarin ‎and clorsulon ‎(p<0.0001) ‎compared to group 2, and the amount of oxidative stress decreased (p <0.01). It also improved ‎blood factors and prevented a decrease in red blood cells (p <0.05).‎ Liver inflammation, ‎fibrosis, ‎necrosis, and hyperplasia of the ‎bile ‎duct decreased significantly with the silymarin and ‎clorsulon ‎group compared to the other fasciolosis groups ‎‎(p<0.0001). These findings ‎showed that using ‎‎silymarin with clorsulon in the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamics relationship ‎improved their ‎‎therapeutic effects in ovine fasciolosis.‎