Safety Assessment of Ciprofloxacin and Roxithromycin through Haematological and Biochemical Profiling in Poultry

The concurrent therapeutic application of ciprofloxacin and roxithromycin has been suggested as a potential approach for addressing mixed bacterial infections in poultry. The present investigation aimed to determine the hematological and biochemical safety profile of concurrently administered ciprofloxacin and roxithromycin through the oral route in poultry. This study involved a total of sixteen birds, which were divided into two equal but random groups of broiler chickens. In the first group, roxithromycin alone was administered orally for five days. Conversely, the Group II birds received repeated concurrent doses of roxithromycin and ciprofloxacin for consecutive five days adhering to their recommended therapeutic dosages. In both groups, blood samples were collected at various intervals, including before drug administration (0 days), and at 6 hours, 12 hours, 1st day, 2nd day, 3rd day, 4th day, 5th day, 7th day, and 10th day. Following haematological and biochemical analyses, a two-way statistical analysis (p ≤ 0.05) was conducted utilizing unpaired ‘t-tests’ to compare parameters within the group across various time points and between Groups I and II. The analysis revealed statistically significant differences in haematological parameters such as heterophils, lymphocytes and monocytes, along with one biochemical parameter, specifically aspartate transaminase. Notably, the altered values primarily remained within the normal range and were often attributed to age-related changes, with certain fluctuations being of a temporary nature and reverting to normal levels by the 10th Day. The study findings support the conclusion that the concurrent oral administration of roxithromycin and ciprofloxacin appears to be safe for therapeutic use in poultry.