Effect of Neem Leaf Extract on Serum Liver Enzymes in Rabbits Experimentally Infected with Coccidia in Anambra State, South East Nigeria

Rabbit coccidiosis caused by Eimeria species is a prevalent enteric disease with significant hepatic involvement, particularly in hepatic coccidiosis caused by Eimeria stiedae. Ethnobotanical treatments including Azadirachta indica leaf extracts have been explored as alternatives to conventional anticoccidial drugs in resource-limited settings. This study evaluated the effect of aqueous neem leaf extract on serum liver enzyme activities in rabbits experimentally infected with coccidia in Awka, Anambra State, South East Nigeria. Forty New Zealand White rabbits were divided into four groups: uninfected control, infected untreated, infected treated with neem extract at 400 mg/kg for ten days, and infected treated with amprolium as positive control. Serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase were assayed at days zero, seven, and fourteen post-infection. Infected untreated rabbits showed progressive elevation of all three enzymes. Neem-treated rabbits demonstrated significantly lower enzyme activities at day fourteen compared to the infected untreated group, approaching values recorded in the amprolium-treated group. Body weight gain was also improved in treated groups. These preliminary findings suggest hepatoprotective effects of neem leaf extract in coccidiosis-infected rabbits and support further pharmacological characterisation of this botanical in South East Nigerian veterinary contexts. Keywords: Azadirachta indica, coccidiosis, liver enzymes, rabbits, Anambra.