The site of action of the anticoccidial salinomycin (Coxistac)

The anticoccidial salinomycin has a cidal effect against chicken coccidia. Restricted and unrestricted medication studies and histopathological examinations of chicks infected with Eimeria acervulina, E. maxima, or E. tenella showed that parasites were destroyed within host cells during asexual development. Most sporozoites failed to become trophozoites and were destroyed 30--72 hr after ingestion of oocysts. The drug also affected schizonts during initial nuclear replication by either destroying or significantly delaying their maturation. Parasites affected by the drug were distorted grossly. Drug action against gametogony was not observed histologically, but when medication was restricted to this period of the life cycle, subsequent oocyst shedding of all 3 species was reduced by 20--70% compared to unmedicated controls. When drug was provided during the entire parasite life cycle, activity against asexual stages was so complete that only a limited number of parasites survived to form gamonts, and oocyst shedding was reduced by 80--90% relative to controls. As with other ionophores, salinomycin had no effect upon rate of oocyst sporulation.