Due to an increasing demand for natural products to control coccidiosis in broilers, we investigated the effects of supplementing a combination of ethanolic extracts of Artemisia annua and Curcuma longa in drinking water. Three different dosages of this herbal mixture were compared with a negative control (uninfected), a positive control (infected and untreated), chemical coccidiostats (nicarbazin+narazin and, later, salinomycin), vaccination, and a product based on oregano. Differences in performance (weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion rate), mortality, gross intestinal lesions and oocyst excretion were investigated. Broilers given chemical coccidiostats performed better than all other groups. Broilers given the two highest dosages of the herbal mixture had intermediate lesion scores caused by Eimeria acervulina, which was higher than in broilers given coccidiostats, but less than in broilers given vaccination, oregano and in negative controls. There was a trend for lower mortality (P = 0·08) in the later stage of the growing period (23-43 days) in broilers given the highest dosage of herbal mixture compared with broilers given chemical coccidiostats. In conclusion, the delivery strategy of the herbal extracts is easy to implement at farm level, but further studies on dose levels and modes of action are needed. © Cambridge University Press 2013.1413347355Abbas, R.Z., Colwell, D.D., Gilleard, J., Botanicals: An alternative approach for the control of avian coccidiosis. (2012) World's Poultry Science Journal, 68, pp. 203-215. , doi: 10.1017/S0043933912000268Akhtara, M., Haia, A., Awaisa, M.M., Iqbala, Z., Muhammadb, F., Haqc, A.U., Anward, M.I., Immunostimulatory and protective effects of Aloe vera against coccidiosis in industrial broiler chickens (2012) Veterinary Parasitology, 186, pp. 170-177Allen, P.C., Lydon, J., Danforth, H.D., Effects of components of Artemisia annua on coccidia infections in chickens (1997) Poultry Science, 76, pp. 1156-1163Allen, P.C., Danforth, H.D., Augustine, P.C., Dietary modulation of avian coccidiosis (1998) International Journal for Parasitology, 8, pp. 1131-1140Almeida, G.F.D., Horsted, K., Thamsborg, S.M., Kyvsgaard, N.C., Ferreira, J.F.S., Hermansen, J.E., Use of Artemisia annua as a natural coccidiostat in free-range broilers and its effects on infection dynamics and performance (2012) Veterinary Parasitology, 186, pp. 178-187(1990) Diagnosis of Coccidiosis in Chickens., , Anonymous Janssen Pharmaceutica, Beerse, BelgiumAnwar, M.I., Akhtar, M., Hussain, I., Muhammad, F., Haq, A.U., Effects of local gametocyte and livacox vaccines on live body weight gain and lymphoid organs in chickens (2008) Pakistan Veterinary Journal, 28, pp. 136-138Arab, H.A., Rahbari, S., Rassouli, A., Moslemi, M.H., Khosravirad, F.D.A., Determination of artemisinin in Artemisia sieberi and anticoccidial effects of the plant extract in broiler chickens (2006) Tropical Animal Health and Production, 38, pp. 497-503Chapman, H.D., Resistance to anticoccidial drugs in fowl (1993) Parasitology Today, 9, pp. 159-162Conney, A.H., Lysz, T., Ferraro, T., Abidi, T.F., Manchand, P.S., Laskin, J.D., Huang, M.T., Inhibitory effect of curcumin and some related dietary compounds on tumor promotion and arachidonic metabolism in mouse skin (1991) Advances in Enzyme Regulation, 31, pp. 385-396Conway, D.P., Sasai, A.K., Gaafar, B.S.M., Smothers, C.D., Effects of different levels of oocyst inocula of Eimeria acervulina, E tenella, and E maxima on plasma constituents, packed cell volume, lesion scores, and performance in chickens (2003) Avian Diseases, 37, pp. 118-123Crane, M.S., Murray, P.K., Gnozzio, M.J., MacDonald, T.T., Passive protection of chickens against Eimeria tenella infection by monoclonal antibody (1988) Infection and Immunity, 56, pp. 972-976Cui, L., Miao, J., Cui, L., Cytotoxic effect of curcumin on malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum: Inhibition of histone acetylation and generation of reactive oxygen species (2007) Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 51, pp. 488-494Daugschies, A., Gässlein, U., Rommel, M., Comparative efficacy of anticoccidials under the conditions of commercial broiler production and in battery trials (1998) Veterinary Parasitology, 76, pp. 163-171Eckert, J., Taylor, M., Catchpole, J., Licois, D., Coudert, P., Bucklar, H., Morphological characteristics of oocysts (1995) Biotechnology. Guidelines of Techniques in Coccidiosis Research, pp. 103-119. , (ed. Eckert, J., Braun, R., Shirley, M. and Coudert, P) COST 89/820Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, , LuxembourgFerreira, J.F.S., Gonzales, J.M., Analysis of underivatized artemisinin and related sesquiterpene lactones by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection (2009) Phytochemical Analysis, 2, pp. 91-97Ferreira, J.F.S., Peaden, P., Keiser, J., Vitro trematocidal effects of crude alcohol-ic extracts of Artemisia annua, A absinthium, Asimina triloba, and Fumaria officinalis (2011) Parasitology Research, 109, pp. 1585-1592Hafeez, M.A., Akhtar, M., Javed, M.T., Haq, A.U., Maternal immunization by egg propagated gametocyte vaccine to control Eimeria tenella infections in newly hatched chicks (2007) Parasitology Research, 100, pp. 1139-1141Henken, A.M., Ploeger, H.W., Graat, E.A.M., Carpenter, T.E., Description of a simulation model for the population dynamics of Eimeria acervulina infection in broilers (1994) Parasitology, 108, pp. 503-512Huang, M.T., Newmark, H.L., Frenkel, K., Inhibitory effects of curcumin on tumorigenesis in mice (1997) Journal of Cellular Biochemistry Supplement, 27, pp. 26-34Isacchi, B., Bergonzi, M.C., Grazioso, M., Righeschi, C., Pietretti, A., Severini, C., Bilia, A.R., Artemisinin and artemisinin plus curcumin liposomal formulations: Enhanced antimalarial efficacy against Plasmodium berghei-infected mice (2012) European Journal of Pharmaceutics and Biopharmaceutics, 80, pp. 528-534Johnson, J., Reid, W.M., Anticoccidial drugs lesion scoring techniques in battery and floor-pen experiments with chickens (1970) Experimental Parasitology, 28, pp. 30-36Jung, M., Lee, K., Kim, H., Park, M., Recent advances in artemisinin and its derivatives as antimalarial and antitumor agents (2004) Current Medical Chemistry, 11, pp. 1265-1284Lillehoj, H.S., Trout, J.M., Coccidia: A review of recent advances on immunity and vaccine development (1993) Avian Pathology, 22, pp. 3-31Martin, A., Danforth, H., Barta, J., Fernando, M., Analysis of immunological cross-protection and sensitivities to anticoccidial drugs among five geographical and temporal strains of Eimeria maxima (1997) International Journal for Parasitology, 27, pp. 527-533Mathis, G.F., Reasons for field problems with E maxima: E acervulina vs E maxima (2005) Proceeding of the IXth International Coccidiosis Conference, Foz do Iguacú, Brazil, , 19-23 Sept 2005McDougald, L.R., Fuller, L., Mattiello, R., A survey of coccidian on 43 poultry farms in Argentina (1997) Avian Diseases, 41, pp. 923-929Naidoo, V., McGaw, L.J., Bisschop, S.P.R., Duncan, N., Eloff, J.N., The value of plant extracts with antioxidant activity in attenuating coccidiosis in broiler chickens (2008) Veterinary Parasitology, 153, pp. 214-219Nandakumar, D.N., Nagaraj, V.A., Vathsala, P.G., Rangarajan, P., Padmanaban, G., Curcumin-Artemisinin combination therapy for malaria (2006) Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, 50, pp. 1859-1860Orengo, J., Buendía, A.J., Ruiz-Ibáñez, M.R., Madrid, J., Del Río, L., Catalá-Gregori, P., García, V., Hernández, F., Evaluating the efficacy of cinnamaldehyde and Echinacea purpurea plant extract in broilers against Eimeria acervulina (2012) Veterinary Parasitology, 185, pp. 158-163Oviedo-Rondón, E.O., Clemente-Hernández, S., Salvador, F., Williams, P., Losa, R., Stephen, F., Essential oils on mixed coccidia vaccination and infection in broilers (2006) International Journal of Poultry Science, 5, pp. 723-730Padmanaban, G., Nagaraj, V.A., Rangarajan, P.N., Artemisinin-based combination with curcumin adds a new dimension to malaria therapy (2012) Current Science, 102, pp. 704-711Pinard-Van Der Laan, M.-H., Monvoisin, J.-L., Pery, P., Hamet, N., Thomas, M., Comparison of outbred lines of chickens for resistance to experimental infection with coccidiosis (Eimeria tenella (1998) Poultry Science, 77, pp. 185-191Quinn, G.P., Keough, M.J., (2002) Experimental Design and Data Analysis for Biologists, , 6th printing 2007. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UKRao, C.V., Rivenson, A., Simi, B., Reddy, B.S., Chemoprevention of colon carcinogenesis by dietary curcumin, a naturally occurring plant phenolic compound (1995) Cancer Research, 55, pp. 259-266Reddy, R.C., Vathsala, P.G., Keshamouni, V.G., Padmanaban, G., Rangarajan, P.N., Curcumin for malaria therapy (2005) Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, 326, pp. 472-474Rosen, G.D., Antibacterials in poultry and pig nutrition (1995) Biotechnology in Animal Feeds and Animal Feeding, pp. 143-172. , (ed. Wallace, R. J. and Chesson, A) VCH Verlagsgesellschaft GmbH, Weinheim, Germany(2000) SAS Online Doc®, Version 9.2., , SAS Institute SAS Institute, Cary, NCShahiduzzaman, M., Dyachenko, V., Khalafalla, R.E., Desouky, A.Y., Daugschies, A., Effects of curcumin on Cryptosporidium parvum in vitro (2009) Parasitology Research, 105, pp. 1155-1161Shirley, M.W., Smith, A.L., Tomley, F.M., The biology of avian Eimeria with an emphasis on their control by vaccination (2005) Advanced Parasitology, 60, pp. 285-330Souza, C.R.A., Glória, M.B.A., Chemical analysis of turmeric from Minas Gerais Brazil and comparison of methods for flavour free oleoresin (1998) Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology, 41, pp. 218-224Subramanian, M., Sreejayan Rao, M.N., Devasagayam, T.P., Singh, B.B., Diminution of singlet oxygen-induced DNA damage by curcumin and related antioxidants (1994) Mutation Research, 311, pp. 249-255Velkers, F.C., Swinkels, W.J.C., Rebel, J.M.J., Bouma, A., Daemen, A.J.J.M., Klinkenberg, D., Boersma, W.J.A., Heesterbeek, J.A.P., Effect of Eimeria acervulina infection history on the immune response and transmission in broilers (2010) Veterinary Parasitology, 173, pp. 184-192Waldenstedt, L., Effect of vaccination against coccidiosis in combination with an antibacterial oregano (Origanum vulgare) compound in organic broiler production (2003) Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, 53, pp. 101-109Williams, R.B., A compartmentalized model for the estimation of the cost of coccidiosis to the world's chicken production industry (1999) International Journal for Parasitology, 8, pp. 1209-1229Williams, R.B., Fifty years of anticoccidial vaccines for poultry, 1952-2002 (2002) Avian Disease, 46, pp. 755-802