Toltrazuril, a triazinetrione derivative, is still one of the most effective antiparasitic drugs used to treat coccidiosis. However, the drug has some limitations, including the emergence of resistance and poor aqueous solubility. The study's objective was to develop coated toltrazuril nanoparticles to improve toltrazuril solubility and drug efficacy. Different nano-toltrazuril formulations were prepared using the "solvent-anti-solvent" technique, utilizing different concentrations of surfactants and raw material. Toltrazuril nanoparticles coated with triton X-100 were optimized and characterized in terms of size, polydispersity index and by TEM imaging. The efficiency of the new formula was examined in vivo using 80 broiler chickens infected with Eimeria tenella oocysts. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) revealed that the obtained nanoparticles had a homogeneous size and distribution (average 152.7 nm) and a polydispersity index less than 0.7. TEM measurements revealed nanoparticles with quasi-spherical shapes and particle sizes (13 nm by 47 nm). At room temperature, toltrazuril nanoparticles sustained dispersion stability for 7 months. Toltrazuril nanoparticles (1.3 mg/kg B.W.) in drinking water enhanced anticoccidial efficacy compared to the reference dosage (10 mg/kg B.W.) in Eimeria tenella -infected chickens. Toltrazuril nano-form significantly reduced oocyst output (0.6 ± 2.4 x10⁶) less than the reference dose (24.5 ± 9.6 x10⁶). The histological (I See Inside) approach revealed a significant improvement in microscopic cecal lesion scores in nano-toltrazuril-treated birds (22) compared to commercial toltrazuril-treated birds (45). The survival rate of birds had also increased. In conclusion, the selected toltrazuril nano formula effectively increased the drug's solubility and stability, and a significant improvement in performance metrics was observed.

To Cite This Article: EL-Sherry S; Nasr A and Zayed G 2025. Triton X-100 -coated toltrazuril nanoparticles: a promising anti-coccidial formula for effective treatment of poultry coccidiosis. Pak Vet J. http://dx.doi.org/10.29261/pakvetj/2025.282