IMMUNOMODULATORY AND ANTIOXIDANT EFFECT of Prosopis africana and Azadirachta indica LEAF EXTRACTS in WEST AFRICAN DWARF GOATS INFECTED with Eimeria SPECIES

This study investigated the protective role of Prosopis africana and Azadirachta indica leaf extracts on immune response and oxidative stress biomarkers of West African Dwarf (WAD) goats experimentally infected with Eimeria species. A total of 20 goats were assigned to five treatment groups: negative control, positive control (Embazin forte, 100 mg), P. africana (0.1 ml), A. indica (0.1 ml), and combined P. africana + A. indica (0.05–0.05 ml). Results revealed significant (P<0.05) differences in serum immunoglobulin and oxidative stress markers across treatments. Goats treated with P. africana and combined P. africana + A. indica showed improved IgA (1.15±0.03 and 1.20±0.91 mmol/l, respectively) compared with the negative control (0.58±0.25 mmol/l). A. indica treated goats had markedly lower IgG (6.65±0.69 mmol/l) than the reference range (10–25 mmol/l). Oxidative stress indices indicated elevated catalase (CAT) activity in A. indica (256.00±26.27 ng/ml) relative to control (186.25±17.85 ng/ml) and higher superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (86.50±8.09 u/ml). However, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was lowest in P. africana (16.40±0.54) and A. indica (14.40±2.24) compared with the reference (20–25). The combined P. africana + A. indica treatment, maintained TAC (23.30±4.37) closer to the reference value. These findings suggest that P. africana and A. indica extracts modulate immune response and oxidative stress in WAD goats infected with Eimeria, with combined treatment exerting more balanced protective effects.