Comprehensive evaluation of Balanites aegyptiaca extracts: in vitro bioactivities and in vivo antimicrobial efficacy and hematological impact on broiler chickens challenged with E. coli O78 and Clostridium perfringens type A

Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile, commonly known as desert date, is a multipurpose medicinal plant widely used in traditional African and Middle Eastern medicine. Various parts of the plant, particularly the seeds and fruit, are used to treat infections, gastrointestinal disturbances, parasitic diseases, and inflammation. Its rich composition of bioactive compounds suggests a potential role in managing microbial infections in veterinary contexts, including poultry farming. The current study aimed to evaluate the in vitro biological activities and for the first time the in vivo antimicrobial efficacy of fruit extract, seed oil and its nanoemulsion against Escherichia coli O78 and Clostridium perfringens type A in experimentally infected broiler chickens. Fruit extract, seed oil, and nanoemulsions were evaluated for antioxidant, antiviral, antitumor, and antimicrobial activities using standard in vitro assays. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of the fruit extract, seed oil, and nanoemulsion against both bacterial strains were 15 mg, 100 µL, and 250 µL, respectively. Two separate in vivo experiments were performed using broiler chicks (n = 5 groups per experiment): Group 1 (negative control, uninfected), Group 2 (positive control, infected with E. coli in experiment 1 or C. perfringens in experiment 2), Group 3 (infected and treated with date extract), Group 4 (infected and treated with seed oil nanoemulsion), and Group 5 (infected and treated with conventional antibiotic). Clinical signs, mortality, postmortem lesions, and bacterial colonization in intestinal tissues were assessed. Hematological parameters were also measured to evaluate safety. The fruit extract exhibited the strongest biological activity among the tested formulations, demonstrating pronounced antimicrobial, antiviral, and antitumor effects, while seed oil exerted the highest antioxidant fraction. In in vivo studies, treatment with fruit extract significantly reduced mortality, mitigated clinical symptoms and pathological lesions, and suppressed intestinal colonization by both E. coli O78 and C. perfringens type A. The seed oil nanoemulsion also exhibited moderate protective effects. No adverse changes were observed in hematological parameters across treatment groups, indicating the extract’s safety at the administered doses. B. aegyptiaca exhibits potent antimicrobial and antioxidant properties and offers promising protective effects against enteric infections in poultry. Its efficacy profile support its potential as a natural alternative to antibiotics in poultry health management. These findings provide scientific validation for the traditional use of B. aegyptiaca and warrant further investigation into its mechanisms of action and optimal application strategies in veterinary medicine.